


The Breaking of Loki

by lady-sinistrus (afira)



Category: Thor (Movies)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-21
Updated: 2016-06-30
Packaged: 2018-02-14 04:45:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 32
Words: 135,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2178429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afira/pseuds/lady-sinistrus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lady Aliah is the kind, benevolent ruler of her land. Her people prosper and she is beloved by everyone. Inside her palace however, lies a darker secret, she is 'tutor' to many young men in the ways of love and passion, and her secret gaze turns to the young Prince Loki, finally of age to receive his 'training' from a noble lady, and her black heart cant wait to destroy him totally</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> this story is about kind, sweet, innocent overlooked Loki being utterly destroyed by a woman and turned into the psychopath we all know and love after Thor 1. It's going to get messy, yes its even going to get downright nasty, smutty, painful and I can't stress enough how my story will utterly break the man we all love. I'm not talking about breaking Loki's heart, I'm talking this story will f*ck his mind, his body, his emotions and turn him from the simple playful god of tricks into the god of lies and deceit we all see in the Avengers movie. It's going to start off easy and slowly descend into total depravity. I will slowly destroy this wonderful innocent boy in every way possible. And you need to know that right up front…so YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED...THIS IS AN EXTREMELY ADULT STORY!
> 
> Trigger warning are all over the place here so please, be advised this story is extremely adult smut eventually, and includes such things as blatant torture, abuse, neglect, rape, bestiality, drug use, mindf*cking, homosexuality, heterosexuality, gas lighting, probably throw in some hermaphrodite sex just to cover all bases….i'm not sure. But I do promise you one thing…it's going to be delicious dears….I can taste his tears now…mmmm yes so salty…..yes cry for me dear…..you have all been warned. I OWN NOTHING BUT MY OWN CHARACTER…LOKI AND ALL THE OTHER NAMES ARE FROM MARVEL but the story is mine…and again…YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED...VERY ADULT LANGUAGE AND THEMES INSIDE..READ AT YOUR OWN RISK! Thank you.

That morning the sun rose in a clear sky, beautiful and strong. The warm spring air was fresh and filled with the scent of flowers, newly blossoming from the recent rains.

Across the landscape, behind groves of trees and lush fields, lay a palace of stone and marble. This was where she lived, where she ruled. She was the lady Aliah, a noble lady by blood of the house of Eld, beloved by her people and praised for her wisdom. The countryside was a beautiful land, full of meadows and trees, a land that had never tasted of war or ruin. No blight had ever dared touch the tranquil beauty of this land. The lady Aliah would have none of that. In all the nine realms ruled by the great all-father Odin, only her kingdom was second to his in beauty and prosperity. The people lived in happiness and peace, praising their lady first and Odin besides her. The people truly loved her and were thankful for her protection. Everyone agreed she was the wisest and most just ruler outside of Asgard.

Inside the central tower of the palace, golden rays of light poured into a large window, crashing down warm morning rays upon the sleeping figures on the bed.

As the sun hit her face, lady Aliah stirred and turned her head away from the light. Mornings always came too soon it seemed. The only thing covering her naked form was a sheet of the finest black silk. Spooning into her side, was a young man, smooth and fair. His head was tucked into her neck, his arm thrown over her stomach; a contented smile caressed his still dreaming form. She turned slightly and looked down at him. Sandy blond hair tangled from a night of passion hung down to his shoulders. Scars of various lengths and shapes twisted around his physique. He looked to be in his early twenties. The look of youth was still upon him, with a man's muscular tone starting to overtake his once boyish body, well defined muscles now beginning to show under his lightly sun kissed skin. The slight glint of metal around his neck was the only thing out of place from the perfect scene. Trailing down from his neck was a delicate but strong chain, connected to a great ring embedded in the wall behind the bed.

She breathed the scent of him in deep. The smell of sweat and passion mixed with the musky scent of his maleness. She smiled to herself, enjoying the view of his naked form wrapped around her.

She turned towards the window, looking out upon the morning, in the distance a slight breeze blew gently through the trees and birds were calling to one another.

The lady Aliah brought her arm up around the young man and caressed his arms, trailing each of the scars as she went with her fingertips. Each scar was a tale of its own, a precious memory of her teaching, etched into his body. She could lie there no longer, today was a day she had been looking forward to for many months. Today she would end the young man's training and be free once again to do as she pleased. And what she usually pleased to do was find another young man to train in the ways of love, and of obedience to her will.

"Wake up sweetie," she cooed.

The young man stirred, breathed deeply and looked up into her eyes.

"My lady," he said still slightly asleep. He then laid his head back down upon her and hugged her closer.

"Now, now, none of that dear, we must be up, no time to sleep in today. It's a big day today my sweetest one. One that I'm sure you've been looking forward to."

His eyes flashed open; carefully he turned his head upward again and looked into her eyes.

"Yes my dear, today is the day you are going home, back to your country, your training with me is complete." She slid herself out from his grasp and sat up on the side of the bed, discarding the black sheet and walked to the window, looking out of it, taking in the landscape before her. Bringing an arm up to rest on the lintel above the window for a better view below, she stared out upon the view before her. Standing there in full view of the window, she was a picture of a woman in her prime. Pale green eyes shone out from her smiling face, long lashes offset by her porcelain skin. Her high cheekbones gave her a regal look, and a slight tapered chin made her look beautiful and strong all at once.

Long dark hair trailed down to the middle of her back offset beautifully by her fair complexion. She was not thin, neither was she plump, she was muscular and her form showed perfectly that she was capable, strong and graceful, lean arms and thighs were sleek and powerful while still being long and graceful. A slight belly perfectly proportioned her hips, the embodiment of a statue, completely unashamed in her nakedness.

He sat up slowly, his arm holding him up and stared after her, a look of question on his face.

She looked over to him, arm above her head still, and smiled at him with an easy confidence.

"Come here my dear," she called. "Come stand beside me." Her free arm outstretched towards him, summoning him to her side.

He crawled out of the bed, the chain around his neck trailing him, the sound of its links sounding like a small bell, echoing off the stone walls of the room.

He slowly and carefully walked over to her, reaching out for her waist as he reached her, as he did, he laid his head on her shoulder and turned to look out the window with her.

She brought her free arm to rest upon his hip as he held her.

"I have enjoyed you here, with me." She said, still looking out the window.

"And now, you shall return to your home, no longer a boy, but a man. Does that please you?"

"Yes my lady" he said.

She turned to look at him, his form perfect in the light.

"Yes I know, you weren't expecting today to be the day were you?" she smiled. " I could have kept your as long as I wanted I know, but you have had two years here with me and you are ready to go back now, you know everything you could need now and I have decided that you are ready to leave."

He smiled lightly to her, but she felt his fear, just behind his eyes, ever so slightly, but nothing would ever show on his face.

His slight fear made her smirk.

'Don't worry dear, I would never send you home in such condition. You are too beautiful to bear any marks from me."

And with that, she raised her thumb and two index fingers up and touched the center of his chest, a warm glow emanated from her fingers and out to his whole body, erasing every scar upon his form, leaving nothing but perfect, flawless skin in its wake. A click sounded beside his neck and the chain fell off in a thud at his feet.

His smile was deep and genuine now, and he looked over his form and then quickly back to her, his eyes lighting up bright and clear.

"You may stand up straight now." She said. And with that, he raised his head above hers for the first time in months and stood with a proud look about him. He looked to her immediately but she smiled easily and drank in the view of his posture.

"Yes, that is nice, now stick your chest out. Regain your noble bearing my dear." She was not a short woman, but neither was she taller than most men either. He now stood a few inches taller than her, a beautiful example of a man coming into his own and she smirked at him in his newfound manliness.

"Yes, that's good dear, now go bathe, and I will lay out your traveling clothes for you."

He did as he was told, walking past her towards an archway and into a large bathroom, a marble tub already filled with hot water and various soaps in a stand beside it. She watched him crawl in and sigh as the water engulfed him. She watched him for a few minutes more and then turned back to the main room.

She turned towards the bed again and with another wave of her fingers, a set of regal clothes fit for a noble appeared on the bed. Blinking into existence came a tunic of purple with silver brocade, black riding pants and a belt of matching silver sunbursts. Black knee length boots appeared on the floor beside the bed as well, a perfect set, for his perfect form.

She looked out the window again, staring off into the distance, "soon," she thought to herself, "Asgard calls to me, and with it, perhaps something new." Looking again towards the bath, and the man who she would be free of soon, she calmed her rising mirth.

It wasn't that she didn't enjoy him, rather she had simply had her fill of him for a while now, he was like all the others, and she desired a new toy after a while.

"First things first," she thought.

Turning back to the room she glanced into a huge mirror on the wall.

Waving her fingers once again she was instantly clean and fresh, wearing black boots and black riding pants. She thought for a moment, and then smiled to herself, and with another wave, a black peasant shirt trimmed in green appeared. A green waste cincher appeared as well as a necklace of emeralds set in gold upon her slightly exposed cleavage. Gold arm bracers completed her look. The look was slightly casual and romantic all at once, she preferred ease of movement over dresses, her curves all at once exposed and yet hidden at the same time.

Not many women wore her style, and the men were always taken aback by it. She enjoyed the looks she received and enjoyed smiling back to the men who were always caught smiling at her, her confident stride and demeanor always inspiring sideways glances from all the men who saw her, as well as slight looks of jealousy from the women.

The young man returned now, and looked over to the bed to see his new clothes. He smiled, and looked to her for approval.

"Go on Audun, go put them on, they are yours now, those are your colors I believe. Now get dressed and we will have a large breakfast of anything you wish before you go."

He dressed quickly and stood in front of her, waiting for her approval.

"Very nice, you are a noble once again. Will you carry me inside you when you leave?"

"Always my lady, it could never be any other way." He replied

I'm sure you will be glad to be free of me, won't you." She smiled

"Don't say that, I am yours forever, I will never forget what I have learned with you, I will always be at your call, you know that."

"Of course dear," she whispered, "I will miss you," she said, and with that, she took his face in her hands tenderly kissed his lips. "Now let's go, you have a long journey ahead of you and I," she looked away, "have things that need tending to."

After breakfast she walked him out to the stable, saw him onto a large black horse and kissed him goodbye. "I will never forget you my lady," he said. "Or the lessons you have tenderly taught me." And with that, he rode off past the gate and stopped, turned the horse around and looked back to her. He raised his hand to her in goodbye.

She waved back to him. I will see you I'm sure at some feast or dance, she thought. And if I should ever need your help, I know I can count on your training to know exactly where your loyalties lie. A smirk crossed her face. And with that, he was gone.

She walked back into her palace and headed for the throne room, a small elegant but comfortable marble chair stood upon a raised dais. She sat down in it, her fist resting on her chin, legs spread as if she were a man. She enjoyed her power and she refused to bow to convention, there were times she would put on a dress and be dainty, of course, if only for the show of not incensing those who she needed to stay on good terms with, but by herself, she made no pretense of appearances or manners. She was in full possession of herself and her influence, and she relished it.

"My lady Aliah," she heard from an elderly man quietly walking towards her. Her adviser slowly walked towards the front of her simple throne. He was bent and stooped with age, but with age came a wisdom she gratefully used to keep her kingdom running smoothly.

"Yes Bjorn, what do you need?"

"As you know, my lady, tomorrow you travel to Asgard for the festivities with the princes."

"Yes Bjorn, tell me the kingdom wont collapse in my absence for a few days, surely?"

"Of course not my lady, but you did ask me to check on the status of the applicants for Prince Loki's…um… training, my lady?" he smiled as he bowed his head to her. Bjorn was her oldest adviser and kept his position not simply because he was wise, or because he was well suited to his position but because he knew of the lady's appetites and kept his mouth shut. In truth, he really didn't see anything wrong with her actions anyway, he had a good position, the kingdom was happy, and he was well paid. What happened between the nobles away from public view simply wasn't something he cared about, and she liked to keep it that way.

Her mind flashed to the thought of the pale prince Loki, and the coming of age party she had been waiting on for so long. His brother, Prince Thor had just completed his tutoring and like everything else in Loki's life, his brother's return would overshadow him, being a return celebration for him as well. Loki had finally arrived at the age where a noble youth, male or female, finished their formal training and would be 'tutored' on the ways of love. Marriages didn't simply happen here, as with anything else, nobles had to learn the proper ways of everything, and that included relationships, love, and how to be eased from youth to adulthood.

It was a responsibility she thoroughly enjoyed. And quietly, inside her mercenary little heart, Lady Aliah enjoyed the breaking of every young man she tutored, and when they came out the other side of her training, she delighted in the thought of one more man under her spell. She had many alliances now across every kingdom under Asgard and quietly, she built her power away from conference tables and instead preferred the alliances forged instead within bedchambers.

No one, especially not her own people, ever suspected such a dark heart, and indeed, she never used her alliances to destroy or harm the prosperity of her people, but rather her way ensured the continued success of her land, in her own way. She knew rulers who were outright evil and sadistic were always doomed to be destroyed and so she much preferred a good facade and reputation which ensured her continued good fortune, but inside, yes inside her beat the heart of a prowling tiger. King Odin would never allow anyone to rule more than what had been provisioned from what his father King Borr doled out, but quietly, she could rule something far sweeter.

"Do tell me," she replied, "I have been thinking about nothing else but that sweet boy for months now."

"Yes my Lady, I have it on good authority that you are indeed, the only one interested in tutoring him, as it seems his elder brother is all anyone ever truly notices, just as you suspected. My sources tell me of the excitement for his brother's return in the capital. Sadly it seems the talk of Prince Loki's part in the celebration has been overshadowed. "

"Good," she smirked widely, "very good."


	2. Chapter 2

The two riders made their way to the top of the last hill and stopped. Silently, they gazed upon the view spread out before them. The splendid capital city of Asgard lay extended in every direction below, golden and beautiful to behold. A massive palace dominated the center of the city, shooting up like an arrow aimed towards the sky from some invisible bow hidden beneath, glimmering in the bright sunlight.

Lady Aliah and her guard looked out and drank in the view before them, breathing deep of the smell of the city.

"Finally," she sighed, shifting in her saddle, her attempt to ease her tired thighs was not working, but it was better than nothing. "I can't wait to get a bath and rest in a comfortable bed again. Not that the ride hasn't done me good, of course," she said quickly, turning to her riding companion, "I do enjoy our rides Ulfr, but I'm sure your ass is screaming for a decent bed as much as mine?"

"Yes, absolutely my lady," the man replied, his quiet but kind, blue eyes squinting in the light. Master Ulfr was a large man; muscles bulged under his riding clothes easily making him look like someone you wouldn't want to go up against in any situation. He had an air of quiet calm about him, confident in his strength and ability as a guardian for his Lady Aliah. He was bald and tan from years of being in the sun and the light reflected off his head, a perfectly trimmed goat-t the only hair upon him. He let no hint of his tired body show in any way, but they both felt the miles beneath them in unspoken agreement.

She understood the small mountain of a man and took a genuine pleasure in his quiet company. He had proved his trustworthiness many years before, and she made sure he accompanied her on any travel she undertook. He was both guard and riding companion and even though she could defend herself with magic if need arose, she secretly enjoyed the looks of trepidation from the people who saw him. She made sure to pay him handsomely, ensuring his trust and protection never wandered. She also made sure he ate well, and plenty. Ulfr was a man who enjoyed his food, and with his size, she preferred to keep him happy with the best beef and the largest cask of whatever he wanted to drink at any time.

They nudged their horses into an easy walk and made their way down the hill towards the outskirts of the city.

"The Queen will be expecting you later today my lady. I sent the message before we left informing her of your arrival."

"Good," she said, turning to Ulfr, "I'm eager to get that part over with, being around royalty is always so…formal" she smirked.

He nodded in agreement, a small smirk gracing his face before looking ahead of him again and continuing on. The royal palace didn't interest him so much, he wasn't impressed really by royalty or their balls and feasts, but rather he much preferred his small pub back home. He did his job of protecting his Lady and didn't concern himself so much with affairs above his station. He preferred simple matters, simple drink and left the games to the nobility.

'Once I've secured the Queens blessing,' she thought to herself, 'I can be on to stalking my prey.' She imagined the feel of his soft skin upon her hands and tried to imagine the sounds he would make once he was in her bed.

She came back to herself, noticing the palace growing in height as they rode closer. 'Settle down,' she thought, 'I mustn't get too excited just yet.'

She shifted in her saddle again and nudged her horse faster, Ulfr matching her pace.

They arrived at the stables located at the side of the palace and dismounted. Two guards in gold armor and long pikes greeted them as she was brushing dust off her riding pants.

"My lady," they greeted her, looking at her expectantly.

"Good day, I am the Lady Aliah, of the house of Eld; this is my guard, master Ulfr."

The guards snapped to attention in front of her.

"Yes my lady, you have been expected, your room is prepared where you can relax after your journey when you are ready."

"Excellent" she replied. She leaned over to Ulfr who dipped his head to hear her better.

"Enjoy yourself Ulfr; I know the mead is excellent at the royal stables. Make sure to secure an extra horse before we leave." She commented.

"Thank you my lady, as you wish." He replied.

"Lead on guards, and please, make sure my guard is well fed and housed during my stay" she said as she turned back to them.

"Of course my lady, this way please," they motioned, and with that, she followed the guards into the palace.

The door swung open to her chambers, and Lady Aliah walked inside and looked at the sumptuous gold interior. Red curtains hung on the window overlooking one of the many courtyards beyond it. On the walls were hand-woven tapestries displaying pictures of victorious battles with King Odin at the center, slain enemies crushed beneath his feet.

"Subtle," she thought to herself and smirked.

A fire crackled in the fireplace in front of a few comfortable looking leather chairs on one end, and beyond her at the other end, a massive bed covered in red and gold bedspreads and endless pillows.

The door closed behind her and she looked towards an entry way past the bed, a great marble bathroom awaited her.

Soft padding feet sounded beside her and she turned to see a ladies maid looking at her, head bowed.

"Hello my dear and your name is…" She asked.

"Runa, my lady, I will be your maid for your stay." She answered

"Runa, my dear, please tell me you have a nice, hot bath ready for me?"

"Yes my lady, everything you need is there for you." She answered

"Ah, wonderful, I can manage by myself thank you" she smiled, winking to the young maid before she turned and made for the bath.

"Ah, um yes, as you wish my lady, dinner for all the guests will be in the minor hall at six," she said, bowing her head as she receded towards the wall to await further instructions.

The long, hot bath refreshed her and eased her sore muscles from the long ride. She conjured a long black riding dress and dark green pants. With a few hours to kill before dinner, she decided to wander the palace and grounds alone.

"I will return before dinner to freshen up Runa," she told the maid.

"Please let me know if anyone needs me when I return."

"Understood my lady," she replied.

As she headed for the door, she stopped in front of the maid, the young girls head bowed in respect to her noble self.

"Runa my dear, tell me…" she whispered, "where does the prince Loki spend his time usually?"

The maid lifted her head slightly and replied, "the library, my lady, or otherwise, the garden behind the west tower."

"Thank you my dear," she said, and headed for the door, her two fingers and thumb raised nonchalantly away from the maids view. As she left the door, the maid felt as if she had forgotten something just then, but was unsure of just what exactly.

Lady Aliah wandered the halls of the massive palace, taking in the tapestries and paintings as she walked. Most of the paintings were of Odin in various battle scenes. Some were of beautiful landscapes from the nine worlds while others were of majestic animals. Interspersed throughout the hallways, giant gold vases were filled with blooming flowers from various worlds. She stopped at one vase full of blue and green orchids and bent down to sniff the delicate flowers.

Ladies maids and valets walked purposely through the hallways, on their way to attend some noble arriving for the festivities. One carried trays of soaps and towels, another carried fresh linens for beds and tables. They bowed their heads as they walked by her, and quickly continued on. She smiled at them and nodded as they passed her and then continued on. No one had any time for more than that, and she was grateful they were too busy to bother her wanderings. She kept her eyes to the paintings and flower vases, and only turned her eyes sideways to look down the long corridors. No sign of the princes anywhere to be seen.

'Damn it,' she thought. It would be wonderful to catch a glimpse of Loki somewhere, but he was nowhere to be seen.

'Looks like I need to inspect the library after all. It's time to see if their magic section is as vast as I've heard.'

The library was indeed as vast as she had heard. fully 5 stories high and lit by great chandeliers hanging on strong chains on each end of the complex as well as a massive one in the middle of the large central room.

Row upon row of books on massive shelves stretched out before her as far as she could see. In the center were great wooden tables with strong leather covered chairs pushed in under their massive bulk. Tucked in behind the massive stacks, away from the center, were quiet areas with comfortable plush chairs and smaller end tables holding intricate oil lamps for light.

She wandered the library, browsing the stacks for reference names, biographies on the first floor mostly she noticed. A small sign was posted in front of the main stairway up, she glanced at it and saw the reference and magic section was on the fourth floor. She headed up the stairs, keeping her eyes ahead of her but sweeping the entire place, a small smile on her face.

Reaching the fourth floor, she went into hyper alert mode, the demure smile never leaving any hint on her face of what she was really doing.

She wandered through the aisles, noting the names of the various tomes. The smell of the old books was strong and intoxicating, nothing smelled as nice as old books to her. Some of the books were crumbling on the shelves, having not been touched for what had to have been centuries. Many had names that had been rubbed off with so much use. A few looked brand new, having been bound only a few decades ago. She scanned the titles that were readable;

"Grimoire of thought and mind control"

'Already read it,' she thought.

"Of -a—essing –h- p—er –primal," it read, half rubbed off.

'A beginner book,' she thought.

'Of love and the male mind,' read another. 'Already own it,' she thought.

Walking down another aisle, she pulled out a book on fire magic, and opened the front cover and peered down into it, looking intently at the words, only then did she turn just her eyes to look down the aisle towards the chairs positioned on the edges of the stack, searching to see if anyone was sitting off to the sides, but no one was there.

She replaced the book and walked down towards the back of the room, looking at the chairs hidden in the far end, away from the stacks, and she saw one chair was occupied. She quickly looked down the aisle, checking the reference card attached to the post.

188843.00 – 259999.99 it read. She walked down this last aisle, looking at the books in the stacks as she went.

'The oldest works would be here,' she thought, 'this has to hold some of the most powerful and ancient magic books not available anywhere else but here.'

She picked up a book that had the name rubbed off and opened it to the first page, it was a book on controlling animals. She scanned the chapter list, looking up briefly between the shelves and looked towards the occupied chair in the corner. She saw a man, engrossed in his book, one leg casually crossed over the other, a large oil lamp on a small end table at his side. He had short dark hair and perfect, pale skin; his delicate, long fingers caressed the pages as he read. He was dressed in a long black riding coat with gold accents on the sides.

It was him.

She flipped to a chapter about controlling horses and how to calm them when scared, casually glancing back up at Loki. He was still engrossed in his book, his eyes carefully scanning the pages as he read. His eyes from her angle made him seem rather tired, or perhaps he looked slightly sad. She strained to see the title of his book but sadly, it had been rubbed off with time. She watched him sitting there, his high cheekbones and strong jaw illuminated by the lamp at his side. The light from the small flame cast shadows in such a way as to make him look extremely thin and foreboding. His pale skin shone in the wavering light, a slight hint of color shone on his slight lips.

'Oh that is nice,' she thought quietly. 'He looks absolutely delicious.'

Loki looked up from his book and rubbed his eyes, quietly sighing to himself. He uncrossed his legs and looked back at the book with quiet concentration. His free hand curled into a ball with only his two index fingers out. He concentrated on the book, and slowly moved his fingers in a circle slowly turning his hand over and opened his palm upwards.

She stared intently at him, 'yes,' she thought, 'show me how strong your magic is, let me see you do it.'

Slowly, waves resembling a light vapor rose from his palm and formed an image in his hand; she couldn't quite tell what it was. Was it a flower perhaps? I seemed to resemble a rose for a second, but it refused to take a more solid shape.

Loki concentrated deeper on the book as if to make the thing appear by will alone, but alas, the waves of vapor refused to coalesce, and the image collapsed into his hand, unformed.

"Damn," he said quietly. He snapped the book shut and closed his eyes, his head aimed down at nothing in thought. He gritted his teeth and his strong jaw jutted out before he let out a small sigh.

Lady Aliah grinned to herself and looked back to the book in her hand. Slowly she closed it and placed it back among the shelf, taking sure to make no sound. She quietly walked down the aisle and scanned the books looking for something she had not already read or owned.

A blue book with the name rubbed off caught her interest. She took it from the shelf and opened it carefully. Faded handwriting was inside, in the most beautiful penmanship. She flipped through a few pages; it seemed it was on various subjects. Conjuring a fine, sweet moscato wine in a crystal goblet was on the first page. A few pages later, a faded spell explained how to make a vase full of flowers instantly bloom and stay alive for at least a week.

She looked up from the book and carefully looked around, no one was in the aisle with her. Behind the stacks she could see Loki's form still in his chair.

'Alright,' she thought as a smile graced her face, 'time to let him notice me.'

She undid another button on her shirt and walked out into the main aisle, keeping her head down so that she appeared to be reading the book in her hands. As she reached the end of the stack, she turned towards the chair Loki was sitting in and slightly tripped over her own feet, dropping the book.

"Ah," she said quietly. Planting her feet apart, she bent right over to pick the fallen book back up, making sure her shirt gaped open nicely as she did. She was fairly certain she heard Loki's neck snap as he quickly looked up to see her retrieve the book. She looked up towards where he sat as she reached it, and saw him looking at her, mouth slightly open drinking in the sight.

She smiled slightly and quickly gathered the book and held it to her, standing up again. She glanced at him and turned around to leave, giving him a quick wink before she went.

His breath hitched slightly in his open mouth as she smiled widely and walked out towards the stairs down.

'mmm,' she thought, 'well now I am hungry.'

Heading back towards the library entrance , she reached out with her mind, feeling herself being watched from above, four floors above to be exact.

Her smirk was uncontrollable now.


	3. Chapter 3

Lady Aliah opened the great door to her room, her confidence soaring, a genuine smile upon her face.

"Welcome back my lady," Runa said from the corner, bowing slightly. Her head was turned to the ground, never making eye contact.

"Thank you, what a beautiful palace you have here," she said to no direction in particular.

Aliah walked to the fireplace and stood before one of the comfortable leather chairs stationed beside the crackling fire. She placed the book in her hands carefully on a little side table and smirked as she looked at it briefly, the memory of his face still fresh in her mind's eye. She still saw his mouth agape as he looked at her before she turned and left, it filled her with glee and she felt an air of mischief fill her heart.

Turning towards the other end of the room, she walked towards a great mirror beside the bed and examined herself.

"My lady," she heard behind her. Without turning from her reflection, she replied, "Yes dear?"

"I have been informed that the Queen would like to meet with you in her study after dinner," Runa stated.

"Very good, thank you Runa," Aliah replied.

She concentrated on her image in the mirror, a shimmer crossed her view and her clothes started to change. Dark purple harem pants bloused out on her legs and her black boots became knee length. A matching long, dark purple entari with fine, dark green trim shimmered into view. A layer of black lace appeared under the entari, the sleeves growing to elbow length and stopped there, the lace growing behind her elbows so that it hung down to her knees, leaving her forearms free.

A wave of her 3 fingers and her hair was slightly curled, with another wave her hair was swept up on the sides and fell down in the back.

She examined herself carefully, considering if it was enough or too much.

'Ah, it's never enough,' she thought. A gold hair clip appeared in her hair above her right ear, a small flower made of some dark green gem appeared. Finally a gold chain appeared around her neck with alternating amber slices and green beads.

'Nice,' she thought, 'this ought to do.'

She strode back towards the door, and called over her shoulder to where Runa was standing quietly.

"Thank you my dear, don't wait up" and flashed her a quick wink before she opened the great door and stepped out.

Behind her, Runa smiled to herself and watched her leave; quietly she walked over to the bed and turned down the covers before she too left.

The minor hall had 3 large tables set in a U shape in the center of the room. This room had been chosen for dinner because of the small size, only a hundred or so was in attendance, a small amount of guests as opposed to the large number that would be arriving tomorrow.

A few people were already arriving and starting to take their seats, the royal family would be the last ones in obviously. She waited for the porter to show her to her seat, and she followed him to the left side of the hall. He pulled out her chair and she seated herself, smiling to the man and giving him a quiet, 'thank you' as he left. She was glad to be positioned facing inward, allowing her a view of the entire head table, a perfect angle to watch him, when he finally arrived. She smiled quietly to herself and looked down at the table to not be obvious.

She looked around as a butler came over to fill her goblet with a refreshing starter wine. Gold everywhere shone back at her, intricate knot work designs carved into every possible surface she could see. All the gold and obvious exuberance was starting to become rather tiring honestly. With the overindulgence of splendor everywhere it became rather redundant honestly. 'This place could really use a more imaginative decorator,' she thought to herself.

More people arrived in the room and were quickly shown to their seats. She took a long drink of her wine as the chairs quickly filled up with nobles from across the lands. Butlers and servers purposefully walked everywhere, some preparing plates and silverware and others wheeling in great trays on carts full of small mountains of roasted meats. There was a table at the back that held chafing dishes full of tempting items and more servants hovered over them. The inside walls now filled with lines of men and women in smart uniforms standing at attention holding towels over their arms and extra silverware and pitchers of drinks.

An extremely overdressed older man was ushered to her right and took his seat beside her. He had white curly hair and had a whole fox wrapped around his shoulders. A long blue robe with green embroidery contained an enormous belly and his white undershirt strained through the buttons as if it were trying to escape his girth.

"Oh this is my lucky day," he said as a great smile overtook him, 'a fine thing to have such a pretty lady at my side,' a twinkle flashing in his eye.

She smirked to herself at the obvious old man, but he seemed more kind than lecherous so she gave him a kind smile.

'Well met my lord, I am the lady Aliah, of the house of Eld,' she said to him, 'and you are?"

'They tell me I am the lord Varin supposedly," he said with a smile, easing into his seat, his legs obviously tired from walking at his size, "but I've heard that man is ten feet tall and shoots fire out his ass, so I don't think I could be the same as the scuttlebutt about that one."

She let out a quick 'hah' at his remark. She liked him, he was kind and modest, and she much preferred that to pompous jerks. She absolutely loathed arrogant men, full of themselves and their own self-importance.

"Well thank Ymir for that," she smiled, "I don't think I'd like to have dinner with a giant who shoots fire out his arse thanks."

'Neither would I my dear, imagine the smell.' He laughed.

She giggled to herself, and smiled at him, raising her glass to him in a small toast she took another drink. She noticed the tables were full now and heard a chime sound from across the room. A porter held a small gong in a gloved hand and called everyone to attention.

"Their majesties, King Odin and Queen Frigga," He called. He followed immediately by adding, "Their Princes, Thor and Loki."

Everyone immediately stood up as they entered from a great golden door behind the head table. King Odin held the Queens hand in his, and guided her to a seat beside him and sat down. They were followed by their two sons, a great wide smile on Thor's face as he looked out at everyone, beaming widely, plopping himself into a seat beside his father. Behind him, Loki quietly looked at everyone as he entered and took a seat beside his mother, there was no smile upon him as he looked down at his plates and stared at them.

Another gong sounded and everyone was reseated, the servants immediately moving to begin serving the head table first. Everyone turned and started happily chatting with each other, waiting for their turn to be served.

'Well, someone looks absolutely miserable,' she heard beside her.

Aliah turned slightly to lord Varin and raised one eyebrow to him. 'Ah, it must be tough,' he stated, 'living in such meager surroundings," he chuckled.

"Hmm,' she replied into her drink and changed the subject to something frivolous to lighten the mood.

A servant arrived beside her finally, and she moved slightly aside for the man to offer her a great platter of sliced beef. She took a small portion with the two serving utensils and then motioned toward the man following the tray, he knelt down and she accepted a pot containing some horseradish sauce and put a dollop of the pungent paste onto her beef.

She settled into her food and contented herself with snatching glances of Loki occasionally between conversations. She noticed that even though he was talking quietly with his mother and the noble to his right, he never once smiled.

The sight of him made her feel almost sorry for him there.

Looking out at the entire assembly, she watched as everyone was happily chatting away. The noise and conversation was quite loud, but even with all the noise she could clearly hear Prince Thor talking loudly above it all. Everyone near him seemed to be having a wonderful time as he droned on about himself in a loud voice. His obvious bad manners were starting to grate on her nerves, even now.

Lord Varin was happily talking away about some old glorious battle evidently, and the lady to his right happily giggled and smiled at him as he spoke. Aliah was happy to let the other lady keep his attention.

Loud laughter erupted from the head table; it was Thor again, of course. Thor was now pounding on the table and calling for more wine, making a true spectacle of himself, he was a complete pompous ass.

Aliah noticed that the louder Thor got, the more Loki seemed to frown.

Another loud bang on the table and Thor called for another helping of food, his father smiling widely at him and encouraging him to continue with his story. Queen Frigga leaned over and quietly talked with Loki, a slight smile coming to his face as she did so, but then he quickly returned to his food and resumed his extremely unhappy look.

'what an ass," she thought, I don't think I can bear it any longer, let's see if I can't make this more tolerable for everyone."

She waited till Thor made another large gesture with his hand, obviously describing some wonderful thing about himself he had recently accomplished, and then she made her move.

She reached up to run her fingers around the rim of her goblet, as if in thought, up at the head table, the great goblet of wine in front of Thor tipped backwards, spilling its contents towards him and running into his lap.

'Gah dammit!" he exclaimed, porters running with towels to his side to soak up the spill. A fresh goblet already in front of him and another man filling it as Thor fumbled with some towels.

Loki glanced over to his brother as Aliah noticed a smile finally flash on his face. A disapproving look appeared on Queen Frigga's face at the same time, the Queen obviously embarrassed by the poor manners of her eldest son. Frigga turned back to her food and frowned down at her creamed spinach. As Loki looked over towards his brother, Aliah looked directly at Loki, and waited for him to turn and look at everyone.

Loki watched the discomfort on his brother's face and then looked out at the gathering, a smile finally on his lips. He glanced past her, scanning the crowd before he looked towards his own plate again. Suddenly, his head snapped back up, he scanned her table again and saw her, his eyes went wide and he looked at his own plate again quickly. She took her goblet in her hands and took a drink, keeping her eyes on Loki as she did so. He kept his head down, but his eyes looked up towards her and she caught his look, she smiled at him over her now empty goblet and flashed a quick wink. His mouth fell open slightly and his ears turned a bright shade of red.

She smiled again and turned to look at Thor, who had by now recovered and was back to talking to Odin and the duchess by his side. Aliah did not know her name, but whoever she was, she seemed to be enraptured by Thor's loud mouth.

She smirked to herself, and felt Loki's eyes on her now. She glanced back at Loki, and again at Thor, who was laughing loudly at some hilarious joke he was telling the duchess. A porter came by to refill Aliah's goblet, and as she held it up for him to fill it, she made sure to glance back at Loki. He was still staring at her with his head down, trying to be inconspicuous. Her two fingers came up as she handed the glass to the servant, and the fork in Thor's hand went tipping over and landed in his lap, a large bit of beef with gravy still in its tines.

"Blast all of it!" He called out, and grabbed for his napkin, the duchess laughing in merriment at his predicament.

She took her glass back, now full from the porter, and took a drink, looking back at Loki over the rim with a gleam in her eyes. Loki's eyes went wide as he looked at her, and then he turned to look at Thor. His brother was wiping his chest with his napkin, trying to remove the gravy stains as the duchess continued to laugh. Thor smirked and made a slight comment to his table companion and continued on with his story, the lady now giggling slightly as she took another bite of food.

Loki looked back at lady Aliah, and smiled widely; he nodded slightly and eased back in his chair, bringing his hand up to his mouth as if thinking to himself.

Aliah smirked at his nod and looked away, taking another bite of food. She looked over at Thor again as she reached for her glass again and sent Thor's knife clattering to the floor to the obvious amusement of the duchess, and the exasperation of Thor.

Aliah looked innocently up at the massive chandelier hanging above her. Even from that angle, she could see the smile on Loki's face.

Queen Frigga quietly ate her food and smiled at the conversation from Thor and Odin, but she noticed how Loki was now smiling and having a better time suddenly. She noted how he was looking at one person in particular, the lady in purple at the table to their right. His demeanor turned finally from sad, as it had been for a while it seemed, and was now happily chatting with her and the duke on the other side of him. She smiled to herself and felt better for her son. She made sure to remember the lady and continued on with her meal, her heart lighter for the first time in weeks.

After a dessert of cloudberries in sauce over a simple sponge cake, the final gong sounded and everyone rose as the King and Queen retired.

'It was lovely to have met you my dear,' lord Varin said to Aliah.

"And you as well my lord," she said as she bowed her head towards him.

Lord Varin took a small step towards her and leaned his head slightly towards her.

"Whatever you do my dear, don't wait for him to come to you first," he said slyly.

"Whatever do you mean my lord," she asked, feigning innocence.

"You can't fool me my dear," he replied with a grin. 'I saw how you and he were looking at each other all night; it's about time someone as bold as you cracked that icy exterior of his. But I dare say he's too shy to make the first move, so get out there and get him my lady," and with that he patted her on the arm, gave her a quick wink, and slowly walked away.

'I'll do that," she said.

'Oh I will," she thought, 'I will 'get' him alright.'

She looked around once more and took a final sip of her wine, the princes were still present, now standing and chatting away with the nobles who were seated with them at their table. She made sure to not turn towards Loki, but rather smiled to herself, and turned away. And with that, she headed towards the hallway and turned to go towards the Queen's study.

Loki watched her leave; her boots clicking on the floor as she confidently strode out of the room. She seemed full of confidence as she strode out, her entari breezing in the wind at her stride. He watched her as she rounded the corner and turned left out in the hallway. He sighed quietly once she disappeared, and a slight frown came to his face once again. He looked down at the floor and excused himself, and headed out through the same doors he arrived in.


	4. Chapter 4

Aliah walked quickly down the corridor and away from the feast hall. Behind her the sounds of the feast hall musicians and crowds of laughing people evaporated as she walked further away.

When she was half way across to the other side of the palace, she slowed her pace and took a deep cleansing breath. The effort of the long day was taking its toll on her and she was ready for bed, but the Queen awaited her to in her study to discuss her desire to 'tutor' her son and no matter what, she could not keep her waiting.

As she stood there contemplating the meeting before her, she felt a wave of drowsiness suddenly wash over her and she hung her head in her weariness. The excellent food from dinner was now starting to weigh heavily inside her and she felt every bite of it now.

  
She turned a corner and saw a balcony before her, she looked around her and then stepped out onto it, hoping the fresh air would bring her a last bout of strength before she could retire and get some much needed sleep.

  
She walked to the stone rail at the edge and sat on it overlooking the sparkling city beneath her. Above her, a galaxy of stars swirled in the sky and the twin moons of Asgard hung in the sky like a pair of giant orbs in the night. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply of the scent of the palm and fern plants coming from within giant pots arranged beside the rails. The faint sound of the people on the streets below mixed with the sound of faraway conversations from small groups of people leaving the feast, their voices gently floated around her like ghosts lost in time.

  
She closed her eyes and reached out her mind, searching for him. Her mind wandered from her, casting out from herself, she now floated past guards stationed at various doors, their thoughts were strong of ending their shifts and returning home to loved ones soon. She wafted by guests walking back to comfortable rooms, arms wrapped around their lovers, giggling to one another of secret passions. She wandered down hallways and past great golden doors, up around flights of stairs coming finally to a room with two guards standing beside a door.

  
She floated inside to a great golden room decorated with green curtains and tapestries, and bookcases filled to the ceiling with old books. To the right of the entrance, in a side room, Loki sat in front of a crackling fire, his eyes scanning an old book of magical enchantments.

  
She felt him try to push aside his thoughts of the day to concentrate on the words before him, but it wasn't working. He looked up from the old tome and stared into the fire, letting his mind wander to thoughts of her. In his mind, she saw him replaying her bending over to pick up a book, her eyes looking at him, unafraid that he was there staring back at her. She winked at him and she felt a heat moving from his face down towards his neck. A tingling sensation moved down his arms as his strength left him. She now saw herself in his mind, across a great table of glasses and plates, across people chatting to each other, she caught his eye and she smiled at him.

  
She felt a tugging in his chest, a tightening there, and suddenly the strength was being sapped as he thought about her, and then, a yearning. Loki brought his hand up to his mouth and sat there thinking on her, a great sadness growing in his heart.

  
'So beautiful" she heard. 'She's just being nice though,' she heard. 'No one ever looks at me, why would she be any different?'  
'But she made him look like a fool,’ she heard him continue, ‘she made the oaf shut up for a moment at least, he looked like such a fool, I wonder what else she can do?' 'Maybe she is different, maybe she would look at me tomorrow, will she look at me again?' 'What will I do if she does?' 'What would I say to her?' 'She knows magic, what else can she do?'

  
'Maybe it's too good to be true, I know there's no hope, she'll get caught up talking to some other noble, full of muscles and blond hair, like all the others, she won't pay me another look, I'll never look like them, she won't even look at me again, I just know it.'

  
She brought his thoughts back to her looking at him over her goblet, to when she winked at him, and placed a tingle in his groin, ever so slightly.

  
He shifted in his chair; he looked down at his feet, and brought his finger into his mouth slightly, enjoying the thought of her. He put the book aside and rested his other hand on his stomach.

  
He imagined her across a large room, filled with people all happily talking, and chatting amongst themselves. She walked through the middle of them, and turned to face him. Her warm smile was shining directly at him. Men walked up to her but she ignored them entirely. He walked towards her drinking in the sight of her curves. He walked up to her and smelled her perfume, she turned her head upwards to him as he reached for out her, he opened his hands and placed them on her cheeks, bending down slightly as he moved his lips gently towards hers. Her arms reached up and slipped around his waist, climbing upwards and embracing him fully, her hands creeping up to his shoulder blades. She held him tight and then pulled him closer to her body. He kissed her softly and she closed her eyes to him.

  
Loki let himself be swept away totally by his beautiful daydream and felt a heat rise in his loins. He let his head fall back onto the chair and smiled as he imagined himself leaning into her body. He pulled her closer to his chest, and kissed her deeper, her soft lips upon his, he imagined her tasting like sweet ripe berries. Their mouths slowly started dancing with one another. She opened her mouth slightly and let her tongue run across his bottom lip, inviting his tongue inward.

  
'Hot shower,' Aliah planted in his head and she suddenly felt his face go hot, his ears turning red and warm and she saw his mind wander to thoughts of hot water washing over his own nakedness. His hands wandered down to his groin, a feeling of shame came to the back of Loki’s mind, but also, resignation. Thoughts of her mixed in his mind along with heat and shame, as well as images of himself in the shower, the hot water washing over his manhood. All these images combined along with desire and swirled together in his mind, battling for dominance.

  
She let a crooked smile creep onto her face back on the balcony and pulled back to herself. Her eyes opened slowly and she looked around with a grin. Aliah steadied herself and a twinkle flashed in her eyes. She stood up, and walked away towards the hall again, feeling slightly refreshed for what lie ahead of her.  
________________________________________

  
Aliah looked up at the great golden door before her and looked to one of the guards standing at attention.

  
"I am the lady Aliah, of the house of Eld," she said to the one on the right of her.  
'You are expected,' the guard replied, as the great door swung open to her and she slowly stepped inside.

The room opened up to her as she crossed the threshold, and she saw the size of it was immense for a study. The walls were made of cream colored stone and every few feet stood great coiled columns trimmed in gold accents. A great stone pool on a raised platform stood in the middle of the room, and beyond it, a great open balcony that overlooked the city.

  
The Queen looked up from a chair seated before a large and ornate wooden embroidery stand; her needle work covered a white cloth with a rainbow of colored flowers and birds swirling around each other in a dance of color.  
Aliah met her gaze and immediately knelt down on one knee, her gaze planted towards the ground in deference.  
"My Queen," she said.

  
Queen Frigga rose from her seat and walked over to her, a smile on her face as she looked at the woman in front of her. She recognized the woman from the banquet and a wave of happiness welled up within her to realize this was the one who, unlike all others, had made her son smile. She alone had applied as tutor for her youngest son.

  
Aliah easily saw her thoughts turn to the endless list of noble women who applied to tutor her first son. A slight sadness was born in her heart just then at the thought and she saw in her mind Loki's face, her sweet, beloved, sensitive, and sadly overlooked son. She pushed the thought away and focused on the woman before her. She reached out towards her and smiled deeply.

  
"Please, rise my dear," she said kindly. "You are the lady Aliah yes?"  
Aliah rose up but kept her gaze at the floor. "Yes your grace, of the house of Eld."  
The Queen smiled and looked at her head on. "I'm glad to meet you dear," Frigga said. "I met your father long ago, he was a kind man. I know your people are well under your stewardship. You are welcome here with me."  
"Thank you your grace," Aliah replied.

  
"Please, would you sit with me?" she asked, "there's no need to be so formal, I won't bite I swear," she said with a gleam in her eye.

  
"Thank you," Aliah responded, smiling back to the queen as she followed her to a great bench beside the pool.  
"I noticed you enjoyed the feast," Frigga said to her with a sly smile. "Loki had a much better time thanks to you."  
Aliah let her eyes widen at her words and quickly looked away, a slight blush rose in her face.

  
"Ah, mmm, ah yes," Aliah stammered. "You ah, you noticed that did you, um, I'm sorry my Queen, I didn't mean …"  
"Oh don't worry dear," the Queen interrupted. "Thor was being a pest, he deserved every bit of it, and besides, this was all meant to be for Loki anyway, I should be thanking you if nothing else."

  
"Ah, uh," Aliah giggled slightly and smiled looking down at the floor beside the Queen. "Yes, ah, I thought it might make him smile, everyone was having such a nice time and he wasn't, so I just thought…" she looked up at the Queen and smiled a little at her. "Well, you know," she added and fell silent.

  
Frigga smiled at her, a warm and kindly feeling filling the room around them.  
"I admit I was relieved when I received your letter. I was beginning to think that no one would come forward to be my sons tutor. After so many applicants for Thor, I was beginning to wonder about the future for Loki. You seem to have a good heart, and the care you have shown for my son's feelings has eased my mind dear."  
Aliah looked up at her and met her smile with her own.

  
"My Queen," Aliah said, looking down again, "I just," she stammered, "I just felt bad that he looked sad, I wanted him to be happy."

  
"Good," the Queen replied, "I would expect nothing less from his soon to be tutor."  
Aliah looked at her fully now, she saw a great kindness in the Queens green eyes and they smiled at each other.  
"If you and he would have me," Aliah responded, "I would never presume to continue if he refused or found me incompatible."  
'Oh please," Frigga responded, "I saw how he looked at you tonight, there aren't many who could make him smile like that." She said, a twinkle shining in her eyes. "After your fun at dinner together, I don't think anyone else would be qualified honestly."  
Aliah giggled, and smiled at her. She was a kind and genuine woman, and Aliah felt herself feel a genuine feeling of kindness towards the Queen. She felt herself slightly relax and she allowed herself to genuinely like the Queen, more importantly, Aliah was glad that she approved of her magic.

  
Loki's never been one to be so physical like the others," Frigga stated, " I've taught him what little magic I know but he's only good at illusions really, would you please teach him more of what you know during his stay with you?" she asked.  
"Of course your grace," she quickly responded. "I would teach him everything I know."

  
"Very good," Frigga said. "I know you will dear. Now I wonder, should I tell him about you before the festivities tomorrow? Or shall I just let him know he finally has someone interested in him? I know that he thinks no one wanted to tutor him, he's far too smart to not know things I try and hide from him."

  
Aliah blushed, and looked down at the floor again. "I'm not sure, as you wish my Queen. I was hoping to see how we got along at the party, but perhaps if he knew, it would embarrass him? Or perhaps it would make him happy; I'm not sure what to think your grace."

  
Frigga smiled, "I'll think on it later, it's late and you've had a long day I know," she said. She rose from her seat and raised an arm towards Aliah, a wide smile on her face. "For now, why not get some rest and prepare yourself for the festivities tomorrow, I know he will be looking forward to seeing you again I'm sure, and I know you'll want to look your best for him."

  
Yes your grace," Aliah said to her, a smile on her face.

  
"And lady Aliah," Frigga said to her, "his favorite color is green." She said with a playful smile.

  
Aliah blushed slightly and bowed her head to her, forming her right hand into a fist and placing it over her heart.  
"Yes, I see, thank you my Queen," she said to her. Aliah looked up to her again and smiled, "I will do my best."

  
Frigga nodded to her and then stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Aliah and gave her a quick hug. Aliah was stunned; she smiled at her quickly then looked down at the ground when she released her. Nodding her head one last time in deference to the lady before her, she walked backwards three paces, and then turned and walked to the door, it opened by itself for her and Aliah walked out into the great hallway, past the guards and back towards her room where her bed was calling out to her tired body.

  
________________________________________

  
The door to her room opened and she walked in quickly. No sooner had the door closed behind her than her clothes disintegrated into thin air and she climbed into bed, naked. She slipped between the sheets and wrapped herself around the pillow beside her, hating the feeling of loneliness that surrounded her empty bed.

  
She settled into the soft pillow and sighed deeply. Staring up at the ceiling she thought about the Queen and her kind face smiling at her. Barring any horrible tragedy, she was going to be his tutor, Loki, the elegant prince with long, gorgeous fingers that held his book so lightly. The prince with pale, beautiful skin shining in the glow of the lamp beside him as he sat there, staring at her with his mouth slightly apart.

  
He rose up from the chair and walked towards her, his shirt evaporating, leaving his chest bare to her, his muscles visible just below his perfect skin. His bare arm reached out to her, curling around her waist as he held her to his chest, his heartbeat in her ear, loud and strong. She could feel his breath, ever so lightly in her ear, and she felt the hotness of it upon her skin. She felt the heat of his body on her cheek and she drank in his scent. He reached up behind her, his long, slender fingers slipped through her hair caressing her scalp gently. They were dancing now, through a great empty hall, slowly swaying to music from somewhere far away. Hovering around them small lights danced, suspended in the ether encircling their bodies. The warm glow of the lamps cast wild shadows on the walls and onto their bodies. They swayed in each other's arms, his caress never leaving her body.

  
He stayed there with her for an eternity, holding her body close to his, their feet hovering ever so slightly, never touching the ground. They were spinning there, slowly turning in midair, wrapped in each other's arms, his hold on her never wavered. She felt herself slipping farther and farther away with him, down some deep depth like a great chasm of time, until it was just the two of them left in the entire universe.

  
________________________________________

  
Across the palace, in his slumber, Loki shared the same dream with her. In her weariness from the long day, her magic slipped her control, easing the bonds between their minds. As her mind searched for him across the expanse, his thoughts were at the same time turned towards her and searched her out, and in their sleep they found each other searching for the other.


	5. Chapter 5

Loki slowly opened his eyes as the fog of sleep receded from his mind. The sound of chirping finches out on his balcony filled the room and he sighed quietly as he slowly regained consciousness. It was early, and the sun was just coming up over the great snow covered mountain far away behind the palace.

He was usually up early every morning, not that it was his favorite time of day, but because no one was around, no one to bother him or stare at him as he went about his business. No annoying brother to come around a corner suddenly and taunt him because he had a book in his hand. No, early mornings for Loki were a respite from everyone around him, teasing or ignoring him, he hated being alone, but it was better than all the looks and whispers.

But this day, he didn't want to get up. He lay there; staring at the ceiling, wishing the dreams would come back as he tried to hold onto the images in his head from last night. Slowly the strong feelings and images were disappearing from his groggy mind and he desperately fought to keep hold of them.

In his mind he saw her, he felt her, holding him tight, the warmth of her body next to his. She laughed and her eyes sparkled only for him. They were twirling around, just the two of them, no one else but them in the whole universe. No one around to ignore him, no one to taunt him, no one to laugh behind his back, just her, and she was with him, and she was happy in his arms and wanted to be with him, just him. In this magical twilight land, she was all his, his alone, and she freely gave her self to only him. He felt himself smiling, filled with a sense of peace and belonging.

'Who are you,' he thought. 'What is your name? Is she here for the party? She'll be there I think, she has to be there. She must be there, what if I see her. Oh gods, what if I don't, what am I going to say to her?'

He rolled over and looked out the great window beside his bed. He stared out at the early morning sky, still full of swirling colors and watched a few clouds float by, unaffected by the world below them. He envied the clouds for their freedom so very much just then.  
'What if she doesn't give a damn?' 'She probably doesn't, why am I hoping? This is pointless; I'm just going to be let down.'  
He rolled over onto his back, his legs tangled in the sheets.

'I don't want to do this,' he thought. Everyone's going to be there, looking at me. No one gives a fuck.' Thor's going to take over, like always. I hate this. Oh, it's going to be horrid, they're not even there because of me anyway.'

His thoughts wandered over the events of yesterday. The library came to mind, and he saw her again in all the detail he could not forget. He saw again her hair flowing behind her and her eyes, oh those eyes, the way she looked at him beckoned to him.  
And then, he remembered how she made him feel, he immediately felt a heat rise in his chest as he thought of last night and of his struggle, his shame. He was weak, he had enjoyed it. His face went red, the memory of his hot shower and his hands on himself burning within him. He couldn't help it, he wondered how she felt, if he held her, if he could just touch her, if she was wrapped around him and tried to imagine the heat from her body next to his. He imagined her legs opening up to him, drawing his pelvis closer to hers.

He shifted slightly, the soft cloth of his nightshirt brushed against his now erect shaft. An electric current shot through his being and he tried to ignore it. He fought to push the thought of it aside, but the more he tried, the more he noticed the sheets brushing against him. He felt ashamed, his ears and chest now hot with the blood coursing through him.

He groaned, and thought of her eyes upon him, her hot breath upon his skin as she panted out gasps on his chest. He imagined easing into her soft flesh and felt his hand stray down to his navel, letting his fingers glide over his engorged length. He immediately felt a tingle that filled his entire body. He was ashamed, he shouldn't, he was weak, but he couldn't stop, he didn't want to stop now. He resigned himself as he grabbed his length and squeezed.

He rolled over as a spasm overtook him, instantly cumming into his hand. He tried to muffle a loud groan as he sank his head into the mattress, crying out a loud gasp in his release.

'Yes,' he thought, 'yes please' as he searched desperately for her name, gritting his teeth hard at the feeling.

He rode out the waves of release as they washed over him, feeling the pleasure and shame of his actions. He eventually stopped twitching and lay there for a while, recovering his breath, thinking of nothing but holding her in his arms.

After a time, he finally pulled his nightshirt over his head, wiping his now sticky navel with it and tossed it into the hamper beside the bed.

Eventually, he pushed himself up and got up out of bed, walking to the balcony and looked out at the sun peeking over the mountains beyond. He stayed there for a long time, staring out into nothingness, wondering about the day and everything that was to come before heading to the shower, his mind filled with thoughts of her.

________________________________________

Aliah felt herself waking up, being pulled back from the fog of dreams and stardust. A warm breeze blew gently across her face and she opened her eyes. She was still holding her pillow, wrapped around it as she would a lover.

She hid her face from the bright sun trying to ignore the morning light. It was very bright, and then she thought about the brightness. She looked over towards the window, and just then realized it had to be very late.

She sat up quickly, looking for the clock on the wall across from the bed. It read 9:25 exactly.

She groaned to herself, and fell back on the pillows, glad for the much needed sleep. She felt well rested, but annoyed at sleeping to such a late hour. She sat up on the side of the bed, staring out the window at the beautiful day and ran her hands through her hair, rubbing her face and curling her fists into her eyes.

She stood up and went over to a small table and chair beside a large open window. A pot of hot tea waited for her, a small dish of scones sat beside it along with a bowl containing some butter. She sat down at the small chair and faced the window, pouring herself a cup of morning tea.

She sat there; naked, looking out into the sky, enjoying the breeze gently blowing over her body. Far away in the distance, the snow caped mountains beyond the palace gleamed as sunlight reflected off their summits. She watched as clouds floated by the window as she sipped the tea in the bone white china cup. Reaching out, she smeared a large dollop of butter onto a scone and devoured it. When she finished, she headed for the bath and enjoyed a hot shower.  
________________________________________

It was noon when she finished dressing. She inspected herself in the mirror of her room. She approved of the long, elbow length bright yellow entari staring back at her, its purple crystals shimmering out slightly at the center of swirls of purple embroidery along its entire length. Her purple harem pants showed through the navel high slits on the sides and back of the entari, black boots shining on her feet.

 

She ran her hands through her long dark tresses and it was instantly dry and became slightly gelled on the ends, creating a feather effect throughout. She swept one side up and back and gently shook the ends, pleased at the tussled but careful look it gave her.

She walked over towards the door and looked over to the fireplace, the embers of a dying fire weakly shown out from inside the grate before her. On the table beside the settle, she noticed the book she had placed there yesterday. She walked over to it and picked it up, flipping through its pages absentmindedly. She wondered where he would be right now. Her thoughts turned to the palace and the state of urgency it must be in now, what with the maids and butlers all running about to complete their tasks for the party later.

With all the rush, no one would pay her any mind, she thought. It would be a good time to wander as she pleased and listen to the servants talk amongst themselves. She closed the book, and decided to go return it before grabbing some lunch that would most certainly be set out for everyone at the palace, worker and guest alike.

She breezed down the hallway, walking at an easy pace, enjoying the rushing of the servants around her as she went, this one carrying some large banners headed to the great hall, another running back to the kitchens with an empty tray to be refilled.  
Many of the servants talked in hurried hushed tones, trying to rush about but obviously enjoying the atmosphere surrounding the soon to be party. Aliah listened to their whispers, trying to glean any information she could from the invisible workforce that was usually ignored by the higher classes. She always made it a point to listen to the servants, unlike others of her class; she knew these people had the best gossip; they alone possessed the stories that were hidden from those who would not see them over their sense of vanity. She knew better than to ignore them, they were always the best spies, the first to know things before even the highest noble learned of a matter.

Many of them talked simply about their work, where to put things, which one of them should go fetch what and from where. But others were talking about some guest or another. They whispered about the lords who were going to be in attendance, and how this one was so handsome and that one was renowned for their stamina, another because of his wealth and so on. 

Many talked about the Queen and told each other of some rumor that she was going to give gifts even to the servants, others speculated on the king and if he would declare a day of rest for them all. More often however, she heard them talking about how prince Thor was doing this or that and she heard the whispers of how they were all so glad he was finally home, back after only two years of some campaign.

Aliah sniffed and let out a chuckle, knowing full well he had returned from his 'tutoring' which, in her opinion, had been wasted since he obviously had not a single manner about him. His 'tutor' obviously indulged his every whim during his time and taught him not a damn thing except how to fuck like a dog.

She walked slowly towards the library and listened for any word about Loki amid their hushed conversations, but no one even mentioned him once. She was starting to get a grim feeling in her stomach for him. Rounding a corner, she walked into the library and looked up at the enormous racks filled with books. She thought about setting her book on the desk before her, clearly marked 'returns' in beautiful script, but then wondered if she should go up to the fourth floor.

She wanted to see him; she wanted to see if he was there. Would he be sitting in that chair again? What had he been reading? Was the book there somewhere still?

She stopped herself, was she really thinking about him this much? She remembered the dreams of last night and thought about the feel of him close to her, his strong arms holding her, just holding her, never letting her go as they floated downwards into a swirl of stars and endless time. He didn't let his hands wander lower on her, he kept his arms around her, never asking for more, just holding her there, and just being with her.

She knew she was doing something stupid, something she hadn't done since, she pushed away a face and a name from her mind quickly, before it came to her. She thought of what would come later, what would have to be done, what needed to be done. She thought of the future, and images flashed in her mind, of terrible necessary things that would surely come to pass. Then she thought of Loki, and his sweet smile and beautiful pale skin and could not push away the thoughts of him holding her again, of how he never let her go, how his arms felt so strong and warm around her.

She couldn't push away the thought of it, any of it, no matter how hard she tried. She finally gave up trying to erase the knowledge of her dream and she resigned herself to it all, right then and there. 

She imagined kissing his sweet lips, she thought of how he would come to love her, and she would love him back with every fiber of her being. She gave herself permission in that instant to feel it all, all the love, all the rush of electric surges at his touch, at the sight of him, and knew, in her heart, in the small door of her heart that had been walled away and reinforced from pain, that she would deal with any hurt later.

She pushed aside the knowledge that at some point, it would hurt, it would rip her apart and knew she would deal with that, when it came, later. For now, she would love him, revel in him, his eyes, his smile, and teach him everything she could. She would give him everything she had.

'Yes,' she thought to herself, she would freely give all of herself to him utterly. She resigned herself to worry about anything else later, so much later.

She hadn't been happy in so long, not since that place, and she pushed that thought aside and let herself feel the surge of feelings surrounding her in her mind, of the thrill of when he would touch her, when she would kiss him finally.  
She came back to herself, just in time to realize, she had been staring for the longest time at the sign that read 'returns,' and felt utterly ridiculous.

She blushed brightly and coughed, placing the book on the table and walking out, glad that the place seemed empty, the patrons and employees obviously more interested in the planned festivities rather than reading, thankfully.  
________________________________________

Aliah walked into a minor hall much like the one dinner had been in last night as looked around. It was bustling mostly with servants and workmen racing around, grabbing food from a table piled high with fruit and sandwiches and other little delicacies. She walked over to the table and filled a plate with some sandwiches and hard boiled eggs and pickles and oh yes, a few of those delicious little deep fried birds on a stick.

She looked back around and stood over by the wall, out of the way, looking at nothing in particular. No one noticed her or cared she was there. She walked over to a balcony facing the bifrost and stood at the railing, staring at the undulating waves of rainbow colors along the rainbow bridge leading to it. The deep blue of the ocean surrounded the great copper dome where the watcher Heimdahl stood ever vigilant. Great sea birds whirled and careened around the ocean by the shore and beyond it, the galaxies swirled in a dance of colors beyond the edge of the dome leading to all the worlds known to them.

She turned back to the room and the people hurrying every which way. She scanned the room, looking for Loki, but he was nowhere to be seen. She frowned slightly, as she looked, scanning again to make sure she didn't miss a corner where he would be tucked in trying to escape the mass of people. But it was no use, he wasn't there. She looked down at the floor, sad and relieved at the same time.  
She finished her food and stood there, staring at the beauty laid out before her. She breathed deep and enjoyed the fresh air, leaning over the rail on the balcony. She surveyed the landscape all around and took in the view, it was magnificent and the rainbow bridge down below near the bay glistened in the light. She finally rose up and turned around to go back to the main room, when she saw Thor and three other men come walking in the main door, making straight for the food.

"Great," she said and immediately looked around to see if anyone heard her slip. She was alone, and breathed a sigh of relief. She scooted over near the wall just inside the entrance to the balcony, hiding just inside where she could still see the room inside. She watched the four of them, talking loudly and laughing and joking with one another. The servants immediately smiled and bowed to them making way for them as if they were a ship and they all were a sea parting in his wake.

They walked over to the table and loaded their plates full of food and immediately started shoving great handfuls in their faces. She realized she was alone on the balcony, just staring at them, and felt they were sure to notice her there and she made to leave before they could accost her. She wanted nothing to do with them and their terrible manners and loud mouths at all.  
Thankfully they ignored her entirely and Thor and his terrible trio descended on a poor unsuspecting table and proceeded to be as loud as they possibly could while still shoving food in their mouths without choking. She was about to head out to the corridor to leave, when she saw Thor grab a giant mug full of hefeweizen beer and make a wide gesture to his friends.

She couldn't resist herself, and honestly she didn't even try. She tried to look interested in the wall that had just become extremely interesting and waited till he was done celebrating himself and took a drink from the giant mug. She raised her hand to her face, as if to brush a stray bit of hair away from her eyes. Over at the table, Thor's mug tipped back much too far and spilled over his entire face and spilled the beer all down his chest and soaked him to his pants, making it look as if he had pissed himself.

"Gah, damn it!" he roared. He was covered from head to crotch in hefeweizen, a true waste, but the look on his face and the howling laughter of his friends and everyone around him was priceless.

Servants laughed loudly and everyone turned to look, Thor's friends only howled even louder and one rather large man with red hair fell out of his seat, hysterical with laughter.

"Hah, dumb-ass," she snickered quietly, a huge smile on her face.  
Across the room, Thor tried in vain to brush off his now soaked clothes and roared at his friends who were still laughing hysterically at him. Giving up trying, he turned on his heel and headed out of the hall, making for his room somewhere in the palace obviously to change clothes, his friends laughing still behind him as they all grabbed for their plates and followed after him.

She waited till they all left and breathed a sigh of relief.  
She let out a final, "fools," remark and made sure no one heard her, and then made her way to walk out as well, a warm happy feeling in her heart. As she walked out, she thought she noticed something from the corner of her eye, but she immediately dismissed it and headed back to her rooms to get ready for the party.  
________________________________________

Loki had been enjoying the view from the balcony, having escaped his room which was full of servants fussing over getting him fitted for some outfit he was supposed to wear that night. He had slipped out easily enough and escaped to get some food. He stood there, watching the servants rushing around preparing things as he ate a plate of sandwiches and pickles, when he saw her walk in.

He immediately choked on a bite of sandwich and sputtered. He cleared his throat and went invisible, scooting to the inside of the wall to blend in even better. He tried to breathe calmly, turning his head to peek out and watched her from his perfect hiding spot, knowing full well his concealment charms were flawless, usually.

He watched her walk in the room, and look around, she was beautiful and her yellow and purple outfit flowed around her as she walked. He couldn't tear his eyes from her, completely forgetting his plate of food in his hands.

She headed towards him on the balcony and he stifled a gulp of air in his throat. She walked right past him, staring out towards the ocean looking at the dome of the bifrost. She stood there, with her back to him and he watched her hair gently blow in the gentle breeze and let his gaze wander down her intricately embroidered outfit. He gazed down and stared at her ass, a hot feeling rising in his face that ran down his body overtaking his chest, he knew he was blushing brightly but shoved the thought away because he knew she couldn't see him, thankfully.

She turned and looked right through him, searching the room as if looking for someone. A growing tightness became painfully aware to him in his pants and he desperately tried to put the thought out of his mind.

Then she frowned, and looked down at the stone floor, he watched her and hated to see the sad look on her face. 'Who is she looking for,' he wondered. 'It doesn't matter, it's not me, it's never me. Probably looking for Thor and the idiots three,' he figured.

Just then he heard a familiar noise and knew it was Thor arriving behind him. He closed his eyes, knowing that she was about to be happy suddenly when he heard her say an exasperated, 'Great' come from her lips.  
He snapped his eyes open and stared at her, his eyes wide as he looked at her.

She looked thoroughly disgusted at the noise Thor and his friends made, and he smiled. A feeling of joy spread out through his whole body. The joy quickly turned to utter terror however, when she moved to hide from the loudmouth in the room and ended up, DIRECTLY..IN FRONT...OF ...HIM!

He tried desperately not to breathe, at all. She was right in front of him, looking directly at him, actually, she was looking right through him, thinking she was standing in front of a wall to the side of the entrance to the room.

He smelled her perfume as it wafted over him and he stood stock still, petrified at her close presence, but also enraptured at finally being so close to her. He felt her breath upon his neck and his pants shrank two sizes to his horror. He wanted to reach out and touch her, just hold her in his arms somehow, but he was frozen solid to the spot. Her eyes were green and gorgeous, his favorite color, they were amazing, they transfixed him as he stared into them, he immediately thought back to his dream, the thought of her in his arms.

He watched her resign herself to leave, a sadness and relief creeping into his soul and then he saw her change her mind. A slight evil grin crossed her lips and he knew she was going to do something wonderful. She waited a second, and then brushed her hand across her face. Loki heard a loud roar behind him as Thor screamed out a loud "Gah, dammit!" Everyone started laughing hysterically. He dare not turn, she would hear it, but he knew from her face that Thor was being made a fool of, by her, and she was enjoying it.

 

He felt her breath on his neck as she let out a soft, "hah," and then immediately followed by, 'dumb-ass," and his heart swelled with love for her. He stood as quiet as he could and stared at her, drinking in her face, every line of it, and he loved every one of them. She obviously wasn't a young kid anymore and he didn't care at all. She was magnificent, and she couldn't stand the golden boy everyone else loved. He desperately wanted to touch her, to reach out and hug her, to hold her, to kiss her lips that were just inches away from him finally.

She smirked, and it made him smirk as well. Finally she watched Thor and the idiots leave and she breathed a sigh, right onto his neck and it sent electric chills through his whole body. He almost reached out and kissed her then, desperately wanting to feel her lips on his.

He heard her breathe a soft taunt of, "fools," directed at his idiot brother, and his heart almost burst. And then she was gone, walking towards the exit to go do whatever she was doing next. And he let out a breath, finally able to breathe again.  
He turned quickly to watch her leave, her boots flashing in the light, her purple pants showing through the slits of the coat like dress she always wore. When she walked out of the hall, he turned to run back to his room, but a dull pain in his pants made them far too tight to walk and he winced to realize he was fully erect.

He shrank back to the wall, gritting his teeth together, staring out towards the ocean and tried to calm down, trying to think of anything but her, which was impossible at the moment. He could only stand there, glued to the wall, trying to calm his breathing and let the hard on ease down. After a while, he felt better and his member calmed down, allowing him to finally look around carefully, and become visible again. He walked carefully and as fast as he could, back to his room.  
________________________________________

Throwing the doors open to his room Loki threw himself against the inside of the closed door, breathing heavily, his eyes closed, thankful he was safe and alone in his room at last. That's when he heard a noise in front of him.

He opened his eyes and saw four servant ladies holding various articles of his outfit for that night in their arms. They were staring at him with their mouths slightly open. He blushed a bright shade of crimson as he stared in horror at their faces.  
He smiled weakly, flashing his teeth at them and mumbled out a "uhm, hullo," and a nervous laugh, wishing terribly he could just disappear again.


	6. Chapter 6

Loki stared into the giant gold mirror on the wall, carefully turning around slightly to get a better view from every angle.  
"This will be do nicely," he thought.

Looking back out of the polished glass was his figure, clothed in a deep green tunic. Its folds overlapped in the front crisscrossing his chest, hanging down past his hips reaching to just above his mid-thigh. The sleeves were stitched in such a way that they looked like they were swirling around his arms down to his wrists. The tailors at his side held their breath as they watched him slightly turning, smiling to himself in happiness.

After the day's incident on the balcony he had demanded they immediately remake his outfit to be longer. He had been secretly afraid another incident would embarrass him in front of everyone if he saw her again and forced the four women working on his outfit to ensure that if it did happen tonight, no one would notice.

Feeling assured the fit was correct and was stylish enough, he nodded his approval to them and let out a quick," thank you, this will be fine," towards them. The ladies gathered their things and quickly left, happy to be free of him finally. They had worked feverishly with no breaks since he returned to the room looking extremely shaken and out of breath a few hours ago.

Loki turned to a small bench and picked up a brown sleeveless overcoat with leather trim and tried it on. Looking back in the mirror it worked perfectly with the green tunic and he smiled to himself. He walked over and sat on the edge of his bed, pulling on a pair of black boots. Standing up, he stamped his feet and looked back to the mirror; the boots were shining brightly over his black pants that hugged his legs. He took a few steps looking at his reflection, seeing how the material moved as he walked. Smiling to himself slightly, he practiced walking, imagining himself walking into the party.

He pretended he was in the middle of the crowd, projecting an image of being aloof and totally unaffected by the people that were there. He steadied his mind and his face, and practiced standing as straight as he could. There was only an hour or so left, and surely the festivities would already be starting many floors beneath him as a few eager guests would be trickling in any time now.

He walked closer to the mirror and studied his face up close now. He could use a shave, even though there wasn't much hair on his face, he never seemed to be able to grow much facial hair, but a few stray hairs poked out from his chin and he decided a quick pass of a razor would be prudent.

________________________________________

After his shave he splashed cold water on his face, feeling his chin, inspecting it for any missed hairs, he smoothed his eyebrows, and grabbed a towel to dry his face. He ignored the little voice at the back of his mind screaming of how it looked exactly the same as before he shaved.

He looked over beside the stone basin to the great marble slab that was his counter and carefully selected one of the many little bottles sitting there. He smelled the first one and immediately wondered why in the depths of hellheim he had ever bought that one, immediately throwing it in the trash. He tried the second, but put it back. He picked up a third one and sighed to himself quietly.

'Why the hell am I doing this" he thought. 'She's not going to care, no one does, I'm just getting my hopes up. I can't do this to myself. I need to calm down, this won't change anything.'  
'No it's going to be fine,' he then told himself. 'Come on this is going to be fine, you saw how she can't stand Thor, that's something, this could be good, she doesn't give a shit about the clod, I've got that going, maybe I can catch her eye and dump a tray of food on Thor's head, that would be fantastic, she'll laugh, and then I can wink at her and look…masterful, and accomplished. Yes, that will work, I'm going to be smooth, and calm….stately…yes I am the image of stately. I bet she'll smell great. I wonder what will she will be wearing, it'll be something beautiful I'm sure. I bet we would make a great match, we would look great together.'

He picked up another bottle and smelled it, he dabbed some into his hands and slapped it onto his face, a slight sting erupting and then settled. He took another bottle and took a glob of some goo into his hands and ran them through his hair, grabbing a comb he dragged it though his short black hair and slicked it all back.

He looked back at himself, standing up straight again as he placed a look of proud, uninterested aloofness on his face. He brushed himself off and straightened his tunic, fussing with bits of his shirt or sleeves here and there.  
He looked back at his face in the mirror and sighed. ‘This is as good as it gets,' he told himself, and resigned himself to his fate.

He walked out of the bath and strode purposefully to his bed again, looking at himself as he walked past the mirror. He walked up to it carefully, standing tall and stood close to it.  
"Hello there," he said to his reflection. 'You look ravishing tonight,' he said feeling dumb.

'This is stupid, I sound like an ass.'

He decided to just shut up. He went over to the leather chair by his fireplace, now completely cold and lifeless and picked up a book, searching through its pages and studied a spell he had marked. He looked over the book towards a table beside the balcony and concentrated on it. He waved his hand at it and concentrated, a swirl of light smoke appeared and condensed upon itself, a white gardenia wavered and tried to appear, he closed his eyes and concentrated harder, he opened his eyes and stretched out his hand a little further, the flower finally took full form and fell to the table, perfect and beautiful.  
He grinned to himself and felt satisfied.  
________________________________________

Aliah sat naked before the great gold vanity staring at her image in the mirror. She twirled her hair in her fingers and let soft curls spring back and she let each strand go. Taking her hair on her temples she braided a long strand and secured it to a matching braid on the other side of her head and fastened them together at the back. She took a gold hair clip with intricate raised knot work designs and clipped it where the two braids met, a great emerald shining out from its center.  
She turned her head and examined her work, she smiled slightly and approved.

She looked closer into the mirror as she raised a fine brush of eyeliner to her eye and applied make up to her eyes. After a time, she looked back at her face looking for any smudges. Dark green eye shadow was spread across her green eyes, giving her a slight cat like appearance. Gold accents just above her black eyeliner shone out from her reflection and she highly approved of the look. She pumped a little tube of mascara and applied it to her lashes finishing the look.

She slicked a bit of dark lip gloss across her lips and smiled, looking for any imperfections in her teeth. Satisfied with her face, she got up and walked over to the bigger mirror that stood by her bed. Staring at her entire reflection there, she waved a hand and was instantly clothed in a floor length green dress. She immediately hated it and started warping the fabric she saw staring back at her. She hated dresses and just couldn't see herself wearing anything that long; it just wasn't comfortable to her.

The fabric warped and shrank, transforming into another long entari, the color deepening into a dark green with black trim around every edge, the sleeves growing to elbow length and stopping there on her arms. Tiny black crystals appeared on the black trim, reflecting off the light as she turned.

Black harem pants appeared and covered her legs as black suede knee length boots appeared on her feet. She stared at herself, carefully considering her options. Intricate embroidery swirls in black appeared on the green fabric and curled themselves over the entire length of the entari. She checked to make sure the slit up the back was straight as well as the two side slits, adjusting their lengths till she was satisfied.

She looked at her pants, and turned the color from black to green, then back to black, trying to decide which she preferred, finally she settled on a matching dark green color. An under shirt of black lace appeared under the entari, peeking out just above her breasts, at once covering and drawing a little attention to her décolletage. She let the sleeves of the lace grow from the back of her elbows and trail down to her waist. Tiny beads of dark green grew from the embroidery at various intervals along the length of the threads and she stepped back to look at her form. Something was missing she thought, and immediately smiled to herself. She waved her three fingers and the necklace from the dinner last night appeared, gold chain shining out between the amber slices interspersed with emeralds. She caused the chain to droop a bit calling attention to her breasts just below it.

'Perfect,' she thought. She twirled in the mirror as she examined every angle.

'Yeah Loki, how do you like this eh?' She said to the woman in the mirror.

She put on a wicked smile and pushed out her chest.  
'If this doesn't get his attention nothing will.'

Walking back to the vanity she picked up a small bottle and dabbed a bit of perfume on her wrists. The earthy scent of musk and opium wafted back to her, and she breathed deep of the scent, it was her favorite. Its scent was delicate and wonderful, she loved the smell and a notion crossed her mind, but she brushed it aside, she wanted to be fully aware for tonight, and pushed the idea of a quick puff of the stuff away.

She rose and looked at herself in the mirror once more, examining for any imperfections. She looked at her suede boots and with a wave, an intricate snake design in dull gold appeared down her right boot. The snake curled around and down a small blade, its head reached just below the tip and stopped moving, she examined it, and decided she liked it, a smile coming to her lips.

She turned to walk away, thought again, and turned back to the mirror, the crystals along the trim disappeared in a wink. She waved her hand again and the lace undershirt shrank from her elbows till they just peeked out at her elbows. Feeling better she turned around, and looked out the window.

The sun setting somewhere on the other side of the castle casting red and gold streaks across the sky, a few stars winking into sight just above the mountains in the distance.  
________________________________________

Loki walked slowly down the hall towards the great room where the party was to be held. He walked quietly along the corridor, lost in a battlefield of thoughts as he tried to come up with possible topics of conversation to say to her. He tried to calm himself as he walked, wishing that none of this was happening.

He turned a corner and came to the back door of the great hall; he took a deep breath and carefully opened the door slightly, looking in.

The room was starting to fill up but was still rather empty. He breathed a sigh of relief and slipped in, sticking to the shadows so as to remain unnoticed. A few people at a time were coming through the door at the other end, servants walking around with trays of food in their hands. He straightened up and smoothed his tunic, and tried to look unaffected.

He slowly walked around, looking at the tapestries hanging from the rafters. Torches were lit and hung in sconces along the stone walls. A few tables were spread along one side of the wall to his left, to the right a long table of food was set out in great silver trays, a large barrel of mead sat beside another giant barrel of water, a large attendant stationed beside it to fill mugs for people as they filed past him.

He scanned the room and didn't see her anywhere yet to his relief. A servant passed him with a great tray of sparkling wine in glass flutes and he grabbed one as she walked past.

In the corner towards the front, a small group of musicians finished tuning up their instruments and started playing softly lilting music. The sounds of it calmed him and he smiled to himself.  
He walked towards the balcony to the right of the room and stood there in the entrance, looking out towards the setting sun behind the bifrost, watching stars twinkle and dance beyond the ocean at the edge of their world.

The room filled up behind him with more people coming in now, and he turned to see the crowd amassing, some going for the food and taking small plates of various tidbits. Some were filling great mugs of mead while others stood around in great groups, laughing and talking to each other. People were wandering around and having a good time, some were gathering near the musicians and danced to the music in pairs. Everyone seemed happy and carefree and Loki felt utterly alone in the midst of them all. ‘This was supposed to be for me,’ he thought. ‘as usual, no one notices…typical.’

He leaned against the wall beside the entrance to the balcony and took it all in, making sure to let no sign of his loneliness show on his face. He kept his eyes scanning the crowd for her as he sipped his drink slowly. His face fell into a frown as he saw his brother Thor come round the corner and walk into the hall followed by his three best friends. They had great smiles on their faces and they laughed and talked with each other as they made their way to the great keg and filled large mugs full of mead.

He groaned slightly to himself and thought it would be a great time to disappear. There were too many people around him to do so sadly, so instead he hoped the amount of people would hide him from the annoying quartet. Loki decided to stay still, trying to blend into the wall and look unaffected.

Thor and his troop of following fools took their mugs and walked among the crowd, smiling and talking loudly with everyone they met, shaking hands and slapping people on their backs. They didn't notice Loki across the hall and he thanked the gods for that at least, for now.

________________________________________

Aliah walked down the corridor and towards the great hall, people were streaming in through the door and the sound of music wafted on the air towards her from inside. As she walked down the few stairs at the entrance, she scanned the room, taking in the decorations on the walls and the banners from the rafters.

She passed people as she made her way through the crowd, people turning to look at her as she went. A few nodded in greeting to her before turning back to their conversations, she smiled and nodded back at them. She looked around and scanned the room and saw him, standing by the entrance to the balcony, obviously trying to look inconspicuous, of which he was failing miserably.

He was staring straight at her, she kept her gaze averted, fearing she would spook him, and turned towards a passing servant who held a tray full of glasses filled with a sparkling white wine. She took one and said a quick 'thank you,' and took a drink.  
He saw her walk in; a feeling of panic crossed his mind. He calmed himself, reassuring himself that there were too many people for him to be noticed. He stayed there, trying to look cool and just watched her, walking around. She was beautiful, immediately he noticed her outfit was green and black, his favorite colors. She was the most beautiful thing in the room he thought. He couldn't tear his eyes from her. He sipped his wine and kept his face serene despite the war raging inside his heart.

His eyes followed every movement she made. She walked with purpose, scanning the crowd of people, mumbling words of hello to them as she passed. Loki watched as she looked at the banners that were hung from the ceiling, inspecting the decorations on the walls, and noticed Thor and his friends walking around close to her, then he saw Thor turn and look at her, and a wave of pure hate crossed his mind like a surge of electricity.

He moved his back off of the wall and walked towards them, keeping his eyes on her as he slowly moved forward. Thor laughed and nodded as he looked at her, and Loki's heart sank as his brother took a few steps towards her. Thor placed his hand on his heart and said something to her, to Loki's horror; she turned her head and looked right at Thor.

Loki picked up the pace and made his way over to her now, just as he got closer, he saw her say something back to him, and then turn away from him, walking his way.  
'She ignored him!' he thought, a feeling of joy spreading out from his chest, evaporating the hate that had been building in his chest.

And now he was walking towards her faster, he couldn't stop himself, she looked up as she turned away from Thor and he panicked, he wanted to hide again but his feet carried him towards her as if drawn by an invisible magnet.  
She looked up just then and saw him, she was looking right at him! He felt a flush start to come to his face, and quickly put a calm look on his face.  
Suddenly, they were standing in front of each other, looking into each other's eyes.

Behind her, Thor watched his brother walk up to the girl who had just walked away from him, a smirk crossing his face. His friend with the goat-t slapped Thor on the shoulder and started talking to him, drawing his attention back to the group they were in, and Thor let it go, noting her face and letting himself be drawn away from the two of them.

Loki reached out to her, offering her his hand. She reached out to him and placed her hand in his, a smile coming to her lips.

"My lady," he said to her quietly. He brought her hand up to his lips as he bent down; he brushed his lips across her knuckles ever so slightly and looked up over her hand into her eyes. Her eyes lit up as she stared into his, and she flashed a wide happy smile to him. It made a flutter erupt from his stomach and he couldn't believe she was there, he was touching her.

"My lord," she said to him softly.

Aliah noticed his pupils were so wide his eyes seemed completely black. She smiled at him, noticing quickly that his ears were bright red. She knew what these signs meant and examined his features now that they were close. He smelled nice, and his hair was slicked back, he had obviously taken some time to look good tonight, and imagined him before a mirror examining himself for her.

She giggled slightly, and leaned in towards him, letting her hand fall away from his greeting.

'How are you?' she asked him as she smiled towards him, letting her gaze alternate between his eyes and his lips.  
'Stay calm, Gods she's beautiful.' he thought.

"Very well, and you? Are you enjoying yourself?"

"I am now." She responded.

‘DON'T GET EXCITED DAMMIT.’ The voice in his head screamed.

"Ah, that's good." He felt a blush rise up more in his face now, he tried to stay calm.

"I'm Loki, and you are?" He said as he heard his brain screaming obscenities at his stupidity from inside of him.

"My name is Aliah," she said, noticing him trying to stay calm.

A servant walked by them with a tray half full of drinks. She reached out and took Loki’s empty glass forgotten in his hand and placed hers beside it on the tray and smiled at him. She knew his brain was screaming at him by the look on his face that he was desperately trying to hide.

She reached out and took his hand in hers and slowly walked over to the minstrels where a large group of people were dancing. He let her guide him as if an invisible leash attached them together somewhere deep inside their cores.  
"Do you like to dance?" she asked.

He panicked, he couldn't dance and he knew it, he felt like a fool.

"Ah," he said, and smiled at the floor, looking embarrassed a little.

"It's ok, I can't dance at all," she lied. "The music is beautiful isn't it?" she said to save him.

"Yes, it is," he said, and then looked deep into her eyes and screwed up his courage from somewhere deep inside.

"It's very beautiful," he added as he stared into her eyes, and took a step closer to her, slowly raising one arm and wrapping it around her waist. He reached out with his other arm and took her hand in his and suddenly they were close to each other, gently swaying around to the music with the other couples on the floor.

'Oh gods, don't get an erection, just stay calm, I can smell her perfume, she smells amazing, she's so warm, she's dancing with me, oh my gods with me, no one else.  
Don't step on her feet. Ok, this is good; I can do this, stay calm. 

I'm ok. Oh my gods, she's in my arms, she's really here, Aliah, her names Aliah, she feels incredible, she's so close, don't hold her too close, stay calm, I can do this, what in hellheim do I do now? Just keep moving you fool!'

Loki’s arms were trembling slightly as they were swaying and turning slowly in each other's arms to the music. They stayed there, in the other's embrace for what seemed like a never ending moment, neither one of them wanting this moment to end. They said nothing but Aliah knew he was searching for something to say, his brain slowly short circuiting at the closeness of her.

She bent her head and laid it on his shoulder gently, feeling him tense slightly at her movement, and then relax as she got closer to him, snuggling her head gently into his collarbone. She knew the closeness would calm him, and would help if she wasn't staring at him so closely. She felt a slight rush of her own, but she knew he was nervous and focused on trying to calm and reassure him as much as possible. 

She let herself just take in the feeling of him. His smell, the warm feeling she felt from his arms around her, it was wonderful to be around someone so…innocent again.

Slowly the world slipped away until it was only them, the music never ending around them, his arms holding her tight, never faltering. He never lowered them, never straying lower, he was such a gentleman to her, she felt a wave of happiness wash over her and she sighed carefully into his chest.

He desperately wanted to kiss her; she was snuggled into his neck, the heat of her seeping into his soul. 'This is perfect,' he thought. He was finally here with her, he couldn't remember how it happened and he didn't care either, time stood still for him and he didn't want it to end.  
________________________________________

High above them, carefully tucked out of sight from everyone, Queen Frigga watched as her shy second son danced with the girl who, unknown to him, would be his tutor soon. She smiled a deep smile and felt a sense of calm and happiness fill her heart watching him there. She had seen how the lady Aliah had carefully guided him, easing his sense of dread and handily guided him along, helping him to feel at ease. She felt a deep happiness for her son and watched them dancing along with the other couples, something he had never done before out of fear.

Her happiness grew when she saw him talking to the woman, and watched as Aliah's head rose from his shoulder and talked to him as well, smiles on both their faces, Aliah obviously already working to make Loki at ease and enjoy something she never thought he would be a part of.

Her mind content, the Queen smiled to herself and receded back into her hidden viewing post.

________________________________________

Loki felt himself calm down and he was able to focus on just the feeling of her close to him. Slowly he felt like he could summon up the courage to say something.

"Where are you from," he asked.

"Annwyn," she replied, "a day's ride from here to the east."

"I see," he said. "I've never been there, it must be beautiful."

"It is, I make sure it stays that way."

The music slowed and they could hear the song was going to end soon, the musicians slightly shifting to rest for a bit.  
She lifted her head slightly and brushed her forehead across his cheek, she looked up into his eyes and they turned their heads to each other. She could feel his urge to kiss her, but it wasn't going to happen yet she thought. She would save that for later.

'You're a wonderful dancer,' she said to him, slightly pulling away, feeling him not wanting to let her go.

"Thank you, you're amazing" he replied. 'OH MY GODS SHUT UP YOU FOOL' his mind screamed.

She smiled at him, quickly looking at his lips.  
"I'm so thirsty, would you like to get some water?" she asked.

"Oh yes please," he said, the realization at her words that he was indeed, very thirsty as well.

They made their way away from the dancers, the music ending behind them, walking hand in hand towards the large kegs of drinks.  
Grabbing a large mug of water they both drank deeply, parched from their efforts.  
"Ah, that's better," she said to him, taking another drink.

They walked to the side, standing by the wall, looking out at the crowd of people happily chatting and laughing in front of them.  
He searched for something intelligent to say, and was relieved when she spoke first.  
She spied Thor across the room from them, talking to a group of people surrounded by his three best friends still.  
"So, that's your brother eh?"

"Yes," he answered, a slight frown coming to his face.  
"Hmm," she answered, noticing his mood shift. Not wanting to spoil the moment, she looked over to him, a twinkle in her eye.  
"Should we have some fun?"

An easy grin crossed his face.  
"Always," he replied.

She smirked at him and winked, quickly looking back towards Thor. She saw his pupils immediately dilate and realized the feeling of desire had flamed up inside him from her comment.  
"Do you know how to cast implement spells," she asked.

"A little," he said with a frown, "although all I'm really good at is concealments."  
"That's ok, let's see if we can get a little better," she said as she moved to stand in front of him, and leaned her back against him. She turned her head up towards his ear and whispered a word to him, looking over towards Thor, making him look as well.  
She reached over and slid her hand down his arm and took his hand in hers, hiding him slightly behind where she stood, she felt his body tense as she pressed close to him and noticed a quick twitch erupting in his crotch against her back. She smiled a wicked grin to herself as she felt his body's reaction to what her touch was doing to him.

Holding his hand in hers, she waited till Thor started walking over to a friend he saw across from him and then brought their joined hands up, her fingers outstretched in his hand and concentrated on Thor's foot.  
"Now," she said, "focus on his feet and let the word activate in your hand, aim for the boots."

Loki did just that and Thor went tumbling to the ground, tripping over his own feet, his friends around him snickering to each other as they quickly bent down and helped him up, slapping him on the back and making jokes about how he was already drunk obviously.

Loki grinned and looked down at her, he was actually quite adept at tripping people up, being a favorite prank of his but he happily played along just to be able to touch her so close.  
"Well, it seems we have something in common."

"It would seem so" she smiled back, and wrapped his arm around her waist, letting him stand there holding her in his arms.  
Loki smiled above her feeling deep inside a warm feeling of contentment emanating from his every fiber. Loki was suddenly aware that he was happy beyond words with her in his arms, standing there, staring out at all the people from behind her, slightly hidden, it was the perfect place for him to be this exact moment. 

She was here with him, in his arms, but because she was facing away, he felt no fear; he didn't have to worry about how he looked or try to control his emotions.

It was perfect; they hid there for some time, watching the crowds move beyond them and messing with Thor at every little opportunity, giggling to each other when they did.

He felt truly happy, and they chatted to each other about different topics, learning about each other and just enjoying each other's company. He occasionally hugged her close and reveled in the feeling of her against him, he felt calm and in control with her there, no longer scared of looking stupid and didn't worry at all if he got a little excited. It was a better time than he could ever have imagined.


	7. Chapter 7

The hour was late and the party was winding down. All around the room people were slowly filtering out the great door by ones and twos while small groups of people lingered around the humid room, full of the heat of people moving and dancing and talking for hours on end.

An air of tiredness permeated the great expanse, hanging just above the heads of the attendants like a cloud full of rain it was preparing to expel.

Off in the corner, the musicians played a slow lilting tune, as if to tempt the people still there to remember their beds back in their rooms, quietly calling to them across the expanse, inviting them to remember comfort and much needed rest.

  
Loki and Aliah sat at an empty table together, half empty wine glasses sitting beside their elbows just within reach. They sat facing one another, their knees inches apart as they spoke together in hushed tones, occasionally giggling to one another as they exchanged glances between themselves.

Aliah leaned back in her chair, a genuine smile on her face as she reached over for her glass, sipping the last of the wine and looking around the room. Loki reached for his glass as well and drank the now flat wine down to the bottom, a tipsy grin on his face as he did so.

"It must be getting late," she said, watching the people milling about the room.

"Yes," he called back, a calm serene smile on his lips, "ah…it's uh…it's only 2:30" he said with a wave of his hand.

They sat there, quietly now, watching the people walking around the room, headed off in all different directions. Across the room, servants were cleaning up the last of the food and drink on the table, collecting forgotten glasses and small plates of half eaten food from around the room.

A loud voice erupted in laughter from across the room and they both turned, knowing full well the voice came from none other than Thor, standing beside a table where a small group of people stood.

The large red headed man of the bunch was slipped back in his chair, head resting on the wall behind him, mouth open slightly, a line of drool running down his chin. Beside him the blond one balanced a girl on each of his knees, laughing uncontrollably as Thor waved his hands as he spoke. He was obviously drunk and was loudly telling some hilarious story to the group.

Thor's mead addled mind made a slight buzzing sound and a voice was playing in his head that told him things like everything he did was simply amazing and made comments about passing peoples outfits that made him roar with laughter to himself.  
Loki and Aliah looked at each other and grinned widely to one another.

'Oh yes please," Loki said to her, unable to resist a last bit of fun before the night ended.

She started to raise her hand to aim across the room, but Loki held out his hand to her first.

"Wait, allow me," he said as he raised his hand, a wicked grin flashing on his face. He waited for the best moment, when Thor would make another wild gesture or something, and saw him reach for a huge mug to take a drink.

Loki let out a wicked ‘Eheheh’, and quickly waived his hand. The mug in Thor's hand slammed upwards violently, slamming into his face and then flipped upside down, dumping the contents onto his head.

The small sleepy group around Thor jerked alive as if an electric jolt had hit them simultaneously and immediately started laughing hysterically. They roared in laughter and began punching each other in the arms at the sight of another soaked shirt from their blond friend. The sleeping man snorted awake at the noise and joined in the laughter with the others, pointing and knocking his head as he loudly guffawed at Thor’s predicament.

Loki immediately knew he used too much force and Thor's head shot up as he let out a loud annoyed gasp, he looked to see who had done it to him, but all his friends were either sitting or were not within arm's reach of him.  
He looked around and Loki saw Thor's eyes latch onto his. A realization dawned on Thor's drunken face of all the mishaps he had endured the past few days and he turned a bright shade of red.

"YOU," he roared, "YOU'VE BEEN DOING THIS! I KNEW IT!" He threw a chair out of his way and made for Loki and Aliah sitting at the table across the room.  
"Oh damn," Loki said with a look of mixed terror and glee in his face. He grabbed Aliah's hand and looked at her, pulling her up from her seat as Thor made his way over to them, stumbling slightly as he went.

"Shit, run, go, go," he giggled and they took off running, Loki pulling Aliah behind him as they ran towards the back entrance that was reserved only for the royal family. She stopped at the door and stammered out a quick, "ah, I..." but he looked at her, reassuringly.

"It's ok," he said quickly cutting her off," you're with me," and he flung the door open and gently pushed her through it following quickly behind as Thor was gaining ground on them.  
They charged down the hall as fast as they could, Loki giggling wildly as Thor shot after them, flipping tables and chairs and anyone who got in his way in a desperate attempt to grab hold of his brother. They turned corner after corner, hearing the loud ruckus of Thor behind them, hot on their tails.

Loki raced around another corner and grabbed for the first doorknob he spied, turning it quickly he shoved Aliah in before him, closing the door as quietly as he could behind him. Resting his back against the door from the inside, he tried to slow his breathing and be as quiet as possible, a wide smile on his face, his bright teeth visible even in the dark room.

Aliah leaned against him and reached a hand up, covering his panting mouth as they heard footsteps running past the door just outside.

They both held their breath as they listened to him run past the door, making for another hallway and turning the corner. They stayed there for a moment, heads together, slowing their breathing. Finally they heard nothing but quiet from the hallway and she let her hand slip from his mouth, her hands falling to his chest. They both breathed deeply, desperate for the oxygen, and they both smiled into each other's eyes.  
Aliah turned to the door, looking at the light shining through the crack, listening for any noise of Thor coming back, she didn't notice Loki, staring at her face, his smile disappearing as a serious look grew across it.

His hands moved from the back of the door, coming up and settling on her hips, his fingers clinging to her curves, watching the side of her head and examining her neck and ear as she listened. She looked back at him and froze, staring into his eyes as he quickly leaned down, catching her lips in his as he kissed her quickly.

He looked down at her again in his arms as he pulled his face slightly away from the kiss, staring deep into her eyes, his mouth slightly apart. He let out a breath as he watched her, searching for any look from her to tell him to stop. Her response was immediate, she slid her hands up his chest and around his neck, burying her hands into his hair and pulled him back to her lips and kissed him, hard, their mouths moving together battling for dominance.

She pushed herself up against him, tugging his hair, pulling him into her, her mind screaming at her to stop. She pushed the voice away, but it continued to scream at her from far away, a heat riding inside her chest.  
Loki held her closer, his tongue running over her lips, begging for entry and found it. She pushed her hips against his crotch, encouraging the bulge she found there.

He felt electricity running through his body, a dull buzzing overtaking him, making him pull her towards him harder as he tried to smash her breasts against his chest as hard as he could, trying desperately to feel her curves against him, the heat of her seeping into his core.

He licked and sucked at her tongue, darting his inside her mouth to curl around hers in a great circular motion. He reached up one arm to her back, grasping the fabric of her dress in a fist of hair and cloth.  
'OH MY GODS…OH GODS, OH….…' he thought as he pushed aside the voice screaming at him behind his eyes and lost himself in their kiss.

Their heads turned, changing position as their noses rubbed past the other's and he let out a small groan of pleasure, letting his hand glide up her back and bury into her hair.

His kiss was eager, hot and fast. She could tell it was born of years of frustration and longing. She let him pull her towards him, and bucked her hips slightly against his crotch, eliciting a small groan of pleasure from him. They eventually slowed, and she took his bottom lip in hers and gently sucked it, stopping his tongue and they breathed hard into each other's mouths, panting with one another.

She opened her eyes and looked at him, his eyes closed and his brow furrowed in longing as she slowly withdrew her tongue and sucked his lip. She planted a few more kisses as she let her hands come down from his neck and rest on his shoulders. He kissed her cheek carefully as she pulled away, trailing down the side of her face, trying to slow his panting as he went, his arm falling to her back as he held her close.

They stayed in each other's embrace, hugging one another as they slowly eased up their grasp. Loki tried to come back to himself, to calm his aching groin and quiet the urgent need in his pants that was straining against the fabric, threatening to break the lacings holding his manhood back.

They looked back at the other; wide dilated eyes met as they both tried to regain control.

'OH MY GODS, WAS THIS OK? DON'T BE MAD, I JUST SCREWED UP, FUCK FUCK' he thought.

She smiled at him, a wide toothy smile that put his mind at ease and he opened his mouth in a wide smile back at hers. He breathed a sigh of relief through his smile and let out a nervous little laugh. She breathed a similar little laugh and looked around, letting her hands fall to his arms, as she squeezed his biceps slightly, reassuring him.

"Ah," he let out slightly, looking for a sign that his technique was ok, followed by her responding with a slight, 'Um…mmm, yeah uh."  
"Yeah?" he questioned.  
"Ah," she smiled again, "yeah, um oh yeah," she answered quickly.  
"Mmm, ah" he answered back and smiled.

They stood there, stammering to each other for a bit, both trying to express approval and get away from the awkward feeling a little as well, Loki not knowing what in the blue hell he should do now. He was searching for a way to either do it some more, or make himself look calm and cool again, not wanting to seem desperate, which he was.

'AHH, DON'T STOP' was all he heard over and over in his mind.

Aliah giggled a little having heard his mind screaming at him in pleasure, hell, anyone with her abilities in a five mile radius was hearing it as well she thought.

She patted him on the chest and reached up and stroked his chin, eliciting a grin from them both and she looked at the door again.

"Ah, I uh… think he's uh…"  
"Gone, yeah, (slight breath) um…" he said as he shifted slightly, understanding the moment was past; it was time to get going.  
"I should, ah…" he said quietly, fidgeting and looking around.  
"Ah, yeah, umm," she answered.

She stepped back and he turned, tearing his gaze from her eyes and he reached for the doorknob and listened a second, turning it as he opened the door slightly and peeked out.  
Seeing nothing he turned back around and offered his hand to her.

She grabbed it, letting their fingers entwine together and they carefully walked out of the room and headed down the hall, making for her room.  
Behind them in the room, unnoticed by anyone, a couple of brooms fell over and landed on the floor with a thud.

________________________________________

They walked slowly down the halls, finally arriving at her room. Looking at one another she gestured towards the door and a sad lost puppy dog look came to his eyes.

'DON'T LOOK DESPERATE IDIOT,' his mind screamed. He quickly wiped it off and put on a small smile. He felt amazing, his feet didn't touch the ground, he followed after her lost in a daze. The feeling of her lips still on him, feeling her tongue in his mouth still.  
She turned and looked up at him, nodding towards the door, signaling this was hers, their eyes meeting, taking each other in.

"I had a great time," she said, a small odd feeling starting in her chest which she quieted quickly.  
"Yes, it was great," he answered.

"Will I, ah, I mean, are you…going to be…" he stammered  
"Ah yeah, I've got some things, I'll be here a few more..."

"Oh great, that's yeah I hope I see…you" he answered hopefully.  
"Yeah, a few more uh…days…doing…things…" she answered.

"So then ill, maybe see you, soon…yes?"  
"Yes, that would be great." She said.

"Great," he answered, "ok then, maybe tomorrow."

"Yeah, definitely," she answered. "Hey thanks for walking me back, watch out for the clod" she said and she smiled

"Yeah…" he giggled and looked at her, a smile flashing at the remembrance of the chase.

"Oh hell," she said then and reached out and grabbed Loki by the shirt, pulling him towards her almost stumbling into her arms as she kissed him again.

Loki stood there frozen, her lips on his again, he slowly realized his good fortune and kissed her back, his hands landing on her shoulders.  
She watched him, his eyes closed; trying desperately to move his lips properly and gently and not descend into a slobbering beast on her.

She finally eased her grip on his shirt and pulled back slightly, kissing his lips a few times as she slowed her pace and then pulled back, his eyes opening to look at hers.  
She smiled and he grinned back a wide toothy grin, his perfect teeth gleaming in the light. He looked down at the floor, and then back at her.

"Ah," he stammered...searching quickly for anything, finally a "thank you, Aliah," escaped his lips as he breathed her name gently.

'DON'T THANK HER YOU YOUR MORON' He heard, he ignored the voice.

"Thank you Loki," she replied, giggling slightly, "well, goodnight."  
"Goodnight," he answered back, he looked at the floor and remembered something.  
"Ah, Aliah," he called,"

"Hmm?" she answered.

He waved his hands and smoke erupted slightly from his hands, it swirled and coalesced as a white gardenia appeared, in his palm.  
"This is for you," he said as he gently offered it up in front of her.

She took it from his hand and smiled up at him, "oh, thank you, Loki, I…" she smiled up at him, and looked down at it, sniffing the perfect flower in her hands.  
"Thank you," she said smiling as she held it up to her nose with one hand turning the great latch of the door with her other and walked backwards into the entrance.

"Bye," she called.

"Bye, Aliah," he answered. And with that, she was gone.  
________________________________________

Loki turned as soon as the door was closed and walked a few paces, turning to stare back at the door, his heart leaping for joy, a great wide burst of electricity shooting through him as he immediately thought of her lips on his.

'OH YES, YES, YES!' His mind screamed, over and over as he walked down the hall.  
________________________________________

Aliah stood in silence on the other side of the door and listened to Loki's footsteps as he walked away.

She stood there, back against the door and looked at the flower in her hands for a time, finally letting her hand fall to her side and stared at the floor, a growing tightening in her chest as if a great weight was attached to her heart and was trying to pull it out, still beating from between her ribs.

She slowly walked over to the chair on the balcony, and sat down, legs splayed out in the chair and slouched down, the flower still clutched in her hand.

Her mind flashed scenes of the night to her, playing over and over again as she sat in silence. She gritted her teeth at the images, his eyes, smiling at her, laughing together, dancing slowly together in his arms. She thought of his voice, how it sounded as he spoke so gently to her. His smile came to her mind as she remembered how Loki lit up as he watched Thor trip from a wave of their hands, or spill something on a woman he was talking to.

She stared at the flower, as she turned it in her fingers, she saw his face as they kissed, his eyes shut tight as he let himself explore her mouth, his eyebrows raised in scared hopefulness and longing.  
She tried to push it away, a growing feeling of pain and dread and searched desperately for the calm center that usually sat at the core of her being, but all she felt was tightness. She let it grow in her heart like a cancer, eating away at the happiness she had let herself feel all night.

Her thoughts warped and she let her mind turn to memories of years ago. She saw in her mind a dark room, with a threadbare cover on a rock hard bed. She remembered a young girl, lying there in the dark, the moons shining a pale light through a window as she stared up through it into an inky black sky and felt again a face, wet with the tears that ran down it.

She remembered her there, utterly alone, shut away from everything, unable to escape, a prisoner in the room, forgotten and alone. She heard a voice, calling her across the years, reminding her quietly of something important, something she was compelled to always remember. "Never forget," it pleaded," never forget me," it called to her as the memory played over and over in her mind.

The tugging of the weight on her heart pulled harder as great tears welled up in her eyes, silently rolling down her face. She sat there, letting them fall, never wiping them away.  
She remembered years of pain, of the girl being slowly starved and beat as she was forced to work, dragging rocks up a steep mountainside, or kicked mercilessly while she dug great pits in the blazing sun for hours on end, somehow desperately trying to disappear so as not to be seen, hoping the work would allow her to escape a fist or a strap flying at her face and body again and again.

"Never forget me here, now," the girl called to her as she saw his giant hand, crashing down on her face. His hot breath on her face as he sized her up, ready to do some new terrible thing to her as she desperately tried to stand straight and look unaffected in his presence.

The scene switched, and the girl was older, she was free and in the arms of a stream of men, one after the other, each one more uncaring than the last. Each ones face flashing in her mind, only ever in her presence not for love or because they wanted to be there, but only there to take away as much as they could from her. She steeled her heart against their detached faces, and slowly began to take a sick pleasure from the pain she gave them, making them feel something, anything instead of their passionless involvement. None of them cared, none of them felt anything. Finally after so much hurt she had found a path through the pain that trapped her heart, like a circle of thorns tearing into it and made them feel something in their refusal.

Each one of them, now in her mind replaying over and over taking her blows now, crying out to her, their pain hardening her heart and feeding the beast that had been placed in her breast so long ago.

At times it felt like a great dragon, with every blow to their skin, with every cry it fed, it took their cries and devoured them, as payment for the girl in the room, beaten, alone, and forgotten. The beast called to her, whispering in her heart to make them pay, make every one of them she could get her hands on to feel the pain she felt, to understand her hurt, she would make them understand if they couldn't, she would force them.

Every blow, every scar would make the girl pleased, but never better. The great dragon in her chest was never satisfied, craving more as payment, the more she fed it, the more it wanted. With every scream, it promised that it would be enough and she could finally be free of it, letting the memory slip away and let happiness creep in, she tried desperately to give the girl enough payment to finally be satisfied, but it would never let her forget. Eventually, she resigned herself to give it anything in payment, a sick retribution for the torture she endured every day, an eternity of pain and sadness locked forever in her mind, replaying over and over every day of her life, never escaping, no slaking of the thirst it craved, no end in sight.

"They're all the same," she heard the beast say. "Every last one of them, all the same, never forget that, never let them go unpunished," it called.  
Slowly the beast had receded with familiarity and a sick and twisted pseudo happiness filled her being knowing she was making others feel something as payment for her suffering, if they wouldn't give the girl peace, she would make them give the beast pain. She let herself realize it had slept these past years, shrinking to the size of a small egg, living in her heart, always ready to crack apart and emerge when needed.

The tears cascaded down her face as she stared out on the sky, a serene beautiful scene in opposition to the war that sat raging in her heart. She wanted to scream out, to make a sound, to get up and destroy the chair and smash it against the floor until nothing remained, but she never moved, she never made a whisper.

She heard the girl calling her again, " never forget me," she pleaded as she rolled over on the hard cot and tried to cover herself with the threadbare sheet, staring out the window she would never be able to crawl out and escape through.  
"They're all the same," she heard the girl say in her mind, over and over.

________________________________________

Slowly Aliah made herself look out across the starry landscape and she breathed deep of the night air, trying to calm herself, trying to come back to the feeling of something happy, something to let her mind return to a sense of peace so she could go lie down and rest, her tired body calling to her through the sweat and tears covering her, her feet tired and aching from hours of dancing and running.

Slowly, she put the flower down on the little table beside the chair and absentmindedly replaced it with a long thin pipe that emerged from the smoke swirling in her hand. A fire sparked from a little match and she lifted the pipe to her mouth and breathed deeply as smoke rose from it, filling the air around her with a sweet smell. The black, sticky opium bubbled slightly in the bowl and filled her lungs with a sweet poison, rushing through her body and fogging her mind. She felt it course through her body, erasing all emotion from her, easing her thoughts as she slowly slipped away into a dreamland. The smoke brought a numb peace to her, and she embraced it as she breathed it deep into her soul.

Looking back at the flower beside her, a puff of smoke erupted from her hands as a small gold locked appeared, a snake on the back of it while a great green gem shined out from the front, she opened it and took the head of the flower and snapped it from the base, placing it inside the locket. Closing the door of the locket, she stared at in in her hand as she felt the opium take effect, the locket disappearing into thin air. She laid her head back in the chair, a sweet weakness seizing her tired muscles and she gave herself over to it utterly. She felt a heaviness move through her and she kept her eyes open to enjoy the fleeting peace it brought her, the pipe disappearing in her hands as she relaxed.

She slowly got up and drunkenly walked to the bed, falling into the sheets and laying her head awkwardly on a pillow. She fell away from herself, a sick peace creeping through her soul and she thought of Loki, his face smiling at her, swirling in her mind as if the image was made of smoke changing from happy smiles to closed eyes, longing for a kiss to continue and back again.

She drifted off to dream as Loki's sweet face slowly morphed into a great dragon, clutching her in its arms, its claws tearing into her flesh as it held her in place slowly devouring her, ripping out her heart as it gored her, blood running down is great gaping maw. A girl's voice somewhere in the background of her mind all the while giggled with glee.

She felt nothing; she watched the dream from somewhere above with a feeling of sick fascination as the dragon slowly destroyed her below. As smoke curled around them and crazy laughter sounded all around, a smile came to Aliah's face as she watched the horror with detached, unfeeling eyes.

________________________________________

Loki walked around his room, pacing back and forth, feeling like he was walking on clouds. Finally after a time he sat on the edge of his bed and pulled off his boots, his feet hot and sore from the hours of dancing and standing he forced them to endure. He lay back on his bed and stared up at the ceiling, thinking of everything that had happened that night.

He felt giddy with happiness as his body relaxed into the soft mattress. He raised his hands behind his head and let images of her drift through his head. He thought of dancing with her in his arms, the feeling of her warm body so close to his. The thought quickly turned into the memory of kissing her, he remembered the feel of her lips on his, his tongue searching and twirling around in circles around hers.

A contented smile crept onto his face as he closed his eyes letting the images and feelings wash over him, carrying him down into a dream of spinning and twirling in a great room with her in his arms all to the sound of her name repeated over and over in his mind, slipping away to the sound of 'Aliah'.


	8. Chapter 8

Loki woke up late that day, which for him was around 8 am. He rolled over and kicked off the covers, instantly feeling his muscles demanding to not be used, but he didn't care.

He felt refreshed, a contented smile plastered to his face that he couldn't wipe off. For the first time in many months, he was in a pleasant mood.  
He got up quickly and decided to go join his mother for breakfast.

________________________________________

Frigga was sitting on her balcony, enjoying the warm sun and the fresh breeze. Around her were various plates of fresh fruits and other breakfast items laid out before her. A small glass of cloudberry juice was just beyond her plate. She looked up as she heard the door open and a wide smile appeared on her face to see her youngest son walking in, a sight she hadn't seen in many months. A smile graced Loki's face and he had a hop in his step.  
"My dear Loki" Frigga called, "you look happy this morning!"

"I am mother, might I join you?" he asked.  
"Of course, please sit, I haven't had breakfast with you in so long, please eat!"

Loki sat next to his mother and happily poured himself a glass of juice and took some fruit from the tray.  
"You're in a good mood this morning." She stated, a grin sliding onto her face.

"Of course!" he quickly answered, "and when have I never been anything but?" he smiled back.  
Frigga looked at him and smirked, deciding not to comment about his obvious sullen moods he was known for.

"Well it's wonderful dear, I knew you would enjoy the party if you just let yourself," she said with a wink.

"Indeed." He answered with a smile.

"And what do you have planned for this beautiful day?" she asked.

"Oh nothing much," he stated, " I'm sure I'll find some mischief to cause somehow." He smirked.

"Loki," she said with a slight frown, "you know you shouldn't be getting into trouble."

"Oh mother, do relax, I'm sure I won't cause too much mayhem." He said.

"Well, see that you don't." She stated, ""we don't want anything to happen that's would sour such a nice day, your father and I have some business to attend to and it would look very bad if you made a scene." She answered.

"Mother," Loki said, "now when would I ever do such a thing?" he said, a mischievous grin on his face.

Frigga gave him a smile that said she knew that he was full of shit.  
"So what is this business you have planned for today?" he asked.

'Oh nothing much dear," she said nonchalantly, "Just a little matter of some arrangements that need to be made."

Frigga had seen how well Loki and Aliah had gotten along at the party, but she didn't want to say anything to him just yet. She was starting to feel sad at the knowledge her son would be leaving for a while and wanted him to stay, but she knew that was impossible. It was in his best interests to leave her side at some point. The training was too valuable for him, especially as a prince of Asgard. Loki was in such a good mood, she didn't want to do anything to spoil it. She knew her youngest son was temperamental and she had no way of knowing what might set him off.

"Regarding what might I ask?" he asked.

Frigga remained calm, trying to decide if she should say anything or not. She knew he would have to find out sometime, but wasn't sure if now was the best time.

"Mother, I know your keeping something from me, I can tell." He stated. "Please, what's going on?" he asked.

Frigga resigned herself, 'now was as good a time as any.' She thought.

"It's your training dear," she stated. "It's almost time for you to go and be tutored in the ways of diplomacy and, other things," she said carefully.  
"But I thought that…" Loki trailed off, a concerned look on his face now.

Loki was confused, he had found out secretly that no one had inquired about him and he had handled it in the only way he knew, he convinced himself that he was relieved. In truth, the whole idea had been embarrassing to him, when he was honest with himself. He had decided that he would rather study his books instead of dwell on the rejection it had caused him. Besides, he thought, there were so many books on diplomacy and law that he had decided to be content with those as his continuing education. As for matters of love, he found it distasteful to even think of being with someone he didn't have any attraction to, despite the longing for physical contact, which he thought of often.  
"Thought what dear?" Frigga answered him. "Surely you didn't think you would be overlooked now did you dear?" she asked.

Loki snorted and gritted his teeth. He did feel overlooked, in fact he felt extremely overlooked. In the two years that Thor was gone he had hoped for more attention from his father, but sadly Odin always seemed to be too busy for him, always away on some mission or campaign somewhere. And when he was around, Loki felt nothing but a sense of quiet ambivalence from his father, no matter how hard he tried.

He tried to put away the hurt feeling that was beginning to fill his heart, which only made him stare off to the side in an angry glare, his jaw jutting out in thought and frustration at the thought of his father.  
"Why would I ever think that mother?" he stated, staring down at this plate.  
"Well don't you worry dear." Frigga said. "I'm sure you'll be very happy with the tutor we choose for you." She said.  
Loki looked up at her, an incredulous look on his face.

"And am I to have no say in my own life?" he asked.

"Now dear," Frigga stated, "you know this must be done, this is the way things are always done and I'm sure you'll do just fine." She said, trying to calm Loki's increasingly bad mood.  
"But what if I don't want this mother!" he spat. "I don't even know those people, how am I supposed to just go and be with someone I have never even met!"

"What's all this?" they heard from inside the room. They both turned and saw Odin walking over to meet them.

'Great,' Loki thought, 'just what I need.'

"What is the problem here?" Odin asked. As scowl on his face.

"Oh, nothing dear." Frigga lied. "I was just telling Loki about our meeting today to discuss his training is all." She said, giving a quick kiss to her husband as he bent over to greet her good morning.  
"Well good," he stated. "It's about time he learned to be a man." He said.

Loki looked up at his father and tried to control himself. The comment about him not being a man had cut him deeply, but he refused to let his father see it.  
"Yes, I'm sure you think so." Loki said, putting his napkin aside. He pushed his chair out from the table and got up.

"It's for the best Loki." His father said. "You'll need to know these things and I expect you to learn them from the best." Odin stated.

"Of course." Loki said, turning aside he let out a simple, "I'll see you later mother" as he turned on his heel, and made for the door.

"Odin," Frigga said, a slight frown on her face.

"You didn't need to make him feel like a child." She said.

"But he is a child, and until he learns to be a man, I will make the decisions that are best for him" Odin stated.

"You make it sound like he's nothing but a pawn." She said carefully.

Odin looked down at her and said nothing. Slowly he turned to look out upon the city down below.

Loki turned his head away from just beyond the door where he stood hiding, listening to them talking. A grim look came to his face as he fought back the tears coming to his eyes. He quietly turned and walked down the hall, a feeling of utter helplessness erupting in his heart.  
________________________________________

Aliah woke up late, still in her clothes from last night. She stared at the ceiling, her thoughts bathed in her memories of being locked away at the hands of her abusive tutor.  
She pushed herself up and sat on the edge of the bed. She thought about the party the previous day and shoved all of the memories of her happy time into a little compartment at the back of her mind, imagining them all being stuffed into a tiny room. She closed the door and locked it away inside of herself, focusing on the knowledge of what must be done.

'it has to be,' she thought, 'and I will not forget.' She stated to herself.

She got up and went to the bath, letting her clothes disintegrate on her as she walked. Aliah took a long hot shower to wash away any last feelings of doubt, when she came out, her resolve was renewed and she hardened her heart for the day to come.  
She walked past the bed to the mirror and waved her fingers, clothing herself in her favorite purple harem pants and black entari. Her usual black boots appeared on her feet as she turned to get some tea and scones set out for her breakfast by her maid.  
As she finished her food, the door opened and a page boy appeared.

Bowing his head, he said a, "my lady Aliah," to her as she wiped her mouth with her napkin.  
"Yes?" she answered, not looking at him.

"You are requested in the audience chambers." He said.

"Good," she answered, "lead on." And with that, she arose and followed the boy to her meeting with the king, wishing it was over already.  
________________________________________  
Loki sat in his chair by the fireplace, a feeling of sadness deep within him.

'I don't even have any say in my own life,' he thought. 'How is any of this fair? I don't deserve this, just when I finally met…" he dare not even say her name now. He felt terrible at the prospect of being sent away from her, no chance that they would ever meet again, to someone he cared nothing for and knew nothing about.

He let his memories stray to last night, of the two of them together, and he tried to remember how happy he felt in her presence. He clutched at his memories of her as if they were being ripped from his hands by a bully, a feeling of anger rising in him for his father.

Eventually he got up, and stood there staring out towards the window towards his balcony. He couldn't just sit there wondering any longer what was going on without his input. He couldn't just stand aside as his life was being decided for him, but he knew there was nothing he could do, he knew he had no say. He slowly made his way across his rooms and to his door. He decided he was going to find out what was going on in that meeting, before it ended, and he resolved himself to go to a quiet spot and spy on them, determined not to be seen.  
________________________________________

Aliah turned the corner and stood up as tall as she could. Walking further in the small audience chamber towards a small chair set into a corner. As she walked closer, she saw Odin, seated there waiting for her with Frigga standing beside him.  
She came close and bowed herself to one knee before them.

"My King, my Queen" she said, bowing her head to each as she knelt.  
"You are the lady Aliah," she heard Odin say.

"I am my king," she answered, realizing he did not tell her to rise.

"And you think you can be my sons tutor do you?" he stated getting right to the point.

She paused, trying to push away her anger at being left on her knee, the pain of it now starting to dig into her chest as she leaned on it for stability.  
'Only if it please you." She stated.

She stayed there, trying to ignore her aching legs. Waiting to hear anything that might indicate she could finally get up.  
'Get up," she finally heard, her legs wobbly and sore now from the effort.

She looked only at Odin's feet, unaware of the small frown Frigga was trying to hide from her husband. She was unhappy with his treatment of Loki earlier and was now equally unhappy with his actions towards Aliah.

"What makes you think you're qualified to tutor a son of Odin?" he asked. "What other nobles have you taught that make you worthy?" he asked.

She looked up slightly, as a blush rose in her cheeks, only looking at his feet. The breach of etiquette made her pause, such names were never divulged between people, and she was startled to even be asked such a thing.  
Aliah was relieved to see Queen Frigga bend down slightly and whisper in her husband's ear, informing him of the names she undoubtedly knew. She felt instantly better knowing that many well respected nobles had been in her charge.  
Odin listened to his wife a bit, keeping his eyes on the woman before him, nodding occasionally but never smiling. Finally he turned back and looked at her head on.

"And what will you teach him if I let you?" he asked.

"Whatever you deem most important my king," she stated. Aside from diplomacy and law, I would make sure he learns fighting and self-defense from my best man, the captain of the guard." She stated.  
She searched for something else to add which she thought Odin wanted to hear.

'Also," she added, "manners and custom my king, and a sense of duty and respect, as befitting a son of the king." She added.

Odin waited a bit, and stared at her, as if she were a side of beef he was inspecting to see if it was ripe or not. She knew there were no other applicants however, and felt nothing in her heart to make her worry.  
"See to it that you do," he finally answered. "My son is in dire need of manners and needs to learn to accept his duty as befits him. And I would have you take the utmost care to teach him these thing above all else. He plays at childish tricks and games far too often and I would have him come back a skilled diplomat and a man above all else. Do you understand me?" he said to her, a distinct tone of seriousness and slight anger directed towards her.

"I understand my king, as you wish." She answered, as she stared at his feet.

'Then I shall not keep you." He stated "you will leave tomorrow." and with that, he got up and walked out.

Aliah kneeled quickly as he rose, staring at the floor in front of her until he left. When she heard him walking away behind her, she looked up, and saw Frigga still standing there.  
Frigga quickly motioned for her to stand, which she did.  
Frigga smiled at her then.

"Lady Aliah," she said, "I know you will take great care of my son won't you?" she asked

"Of course my queen," she quickly answered. "I would guard him with my life."

"I know my dear, be good to him, I will miss him while he's away."

Aliah nodded to her and looked down at the floor, hiding her relief at Odin's departure.

"I will my Queen." She answered.

"Please, help him with his magic as well? He loves his books and learning and games, make sure his love for life isn't destroyed as Odin would have. I know you have strong abilities, and I know it would make him happy to become stronger in his magic as well. Promise me you'll do this for me" She asked.

"I will my Queen, happily." Aliah answered.

"And lady Aliah," Frigga added. "Let him find happiness in his time with you."

"I will." She answered.

Frigga placed her hand on Aliah's shoulder and gave her a deep smile and then turned to walk away.  
Aliah bowed her head to her and backed away, turning after a few steps and walked back out the way she came in.  
________________________________________

As soon as she was outside the door again, she let a smile creep onto her face. 'Finally,' she thought.

'What an ass you are Odin' she said to herself. 'Some king you are, we'll see how you feel when he returns, after I’m through with him.'  
A determined look appeared on her face as she squinted her eyes. She walked ahead and made for the stables with a spring in her step.  
________________________________________

Loki crept around as quietly as he could to the large audience chamber but found no one there. He went to a few other rooms he knew his father received audiences with his subjects at but found nothing in each one. He didn't understand what was going on, he saw no one as he walked around the halls, finally giving up.

'This doesn't make any sense, what the hell is going on?' he thought. 'I should have seen someone. How can they do this to me! I have no say in my own life even!'

He gave up even trying to hide and walked around, a disturbed look on his face. He tried to hide it but he didn't care anymore.

He felt like the only bit of happiness he had found in so long was being ripped from him, as if a bully had snuck up on him and stolen away a cherished toy.

He was so lost in his thoughts he nearly missed the footsteps coming up on. By the time he noticed them, it was too late to hide. He cleared his face and kept walking, eyes ahead of him.  
"Well hello again." He heard. Loki turned his head and looked to see Aliah walking slowly beside him.

"Oh it's you!" he said, his face lighting up.

"As far as I'm aware." She said with a smile. "And how are you today?" she asked.

"Oh, I ah…fine." He said, the memory of his conversation with his father now filling his head.

"You sure about that?" Aliah asked.

"Hmmm…yes I'm sure, thank you." he answered, realizing he didn't want to look like a petulant child to her, his father's words stabbing his heart like daggers.  
"And how are you today?" he asked quickly, changing his tone to cool and collected.

"Ah…good, just heading to the stables to check on my guard." She answered. "He needs to prepare for our departure tomorrow."  
Loki's face fell at her comment.

"You're leaving? Tomorrow?" he asked, unable to hide the hurt on his face now.

"Yes I'm…"

"Have dinner with me tonight?" he interrupted.

"Of, course." She answered, giggling at his insistence; she wrapped her arm around his and gave him a squeeze.

"Good," he answered with a smile. "My chambers around 7?" he asked.

"Anything for you." She answered with a smile. "See you then handsome." And with a last squeeze of his arm, she gave him a wink and walked towards the stables.

She smiled to herself, knowing Loki thought she was leaving him, unaware that he was already hers for the taking.

It took Loki a few seconds to realize he was standing there like an idiot in the middle of the hall.

'DID SHE CALL ME HANDSOME? SHE THINKS I'M HANDSOME!' His heart started to race. He looked around and walked back, feeling her touch still on his arm. A warm feeling was inside him now at the thought of a woman in his room finally. He turned around and headed for the kitchens, making plans already for later tonight.

________________________________________

Walking into the stables, Aliah quickly found Ulfr brushing their horses. He turned to her and bowed slightly.  
"My lady." He said. "How go the talks?" he asked.

"Fine Ulfr, have you procured the extra horse?"  
"Yes my lady, a fine mare, just here." He answered as he led her to the stall.

In a stall next to them stood a fine black mare with a long black mane, eating a portion of oats and alfalfa from a tray on the wall.  
"This will do fine, thank you Ulfr. We leave tomorrow and I want you to be ready. We will have a visitor with us."  
I understand my lady." He answered. "Anything else I can do?" he said.

"Yes," Aliah answered, stepping in closer to him. "I want to make sure you understand, do not treat him any different than you would me and my station, do you understand?"  
"Yes my lady, of course." He answered and bowed his head to her slightly.

"Good, we wouldn't want him getting a big head now would we?" she smirked.  
Ulfr smiled back at her, his head still bowed slightly.

"Now here," she said and handed him a small bag of coins. "Take these and buy the things on the list." She stated, handing him a bit of paper. "When you have it all, take what is left and enjoy your night, be ready to leave in the morning."  
"But," she added, looking at him from the side, a grin on her face, "I will be sleeping in no doubt."

"As you wish, my lady." He answered with a small smile on his face. "Thank you." He added.

She smirked and patted him on the shoulder once, then turned and walked back to the palace.

Behind her, Ulfr looked at the list and sized up the bag of coins. Grabbing some saddlebags, he walked towards the town, "Looks like drinks are on me tonight." He stated with a smile.


	9. Chapter 9

Loki had spent the past hour in the kitchens talking to the head cook before the portly older lady became so fed up she kicked him out. 

Despite his protests, she had finally managed to settle on a menu he approved of on the fifth suggestion, and she had settled his nerves by promising him everything would be ready and delivered to his room before 7 that night.  
"This needs to be perfect, you understand?' he pleaded.

The plump older lady just gave him a look like he had gone mad.

"My prince," she stated," I have never, in my 30 years here in your service, ever failed to deliver anything but an exceptional table for anyone under this roof. I won't let anything but the best be presented this night as well." She said matter-of-factly.  
"Alright then," he finally said to her as he relaxed a little. "Please do your best, this is a most special occasion, and I just want it to be perfect, you understand?" his puppy dog eyes pleaded with her to understand him.

The large woman finally eased down and relaxed finally understanding his utter terror at his first ever attempt at a date and gave him a kind smile. "I promise you my prince, it will be." She said with a gentle pat on his hand.  
Loki finally nodded to her and gave her a weak smile, turning around he headed out of the kitchens to leave her in peace.

"Men," she stated to a scullery maid. "First dates are the worst eh?" she chuckled and shook her head to the girl peeling potatoes furiously. The girl just laughed and shook her head, quickly turning back to her work before her.  
________________________________________

Loki walked down the hallway to his room and darted in front of the first maid he passed. "I have need of some things in my room, please make sure someone meets me there soon." He stated.

"As you wish my prince" she replied.

He nodded and hurried on his way.  
________________________________________

Back in his room, Loki looked around at the sight of it all. Suddenly he thought how it all looked so sparse, despite the fact that it had never been a problem before.  
He had no idea what to do other than pick up some books lying everywhere and return them to his enormous bookshelf. He looked around and started to clean up his desk. It was overflowing with papers and drawings and written out spells and unfinished letters. As he filed them all away properly, a maid walked in and bowed low.

'Oh thank gods," he said. "I need a few…things. Can you help?"

And with that, he unleashed a verbal torrent on the unsuspecting maid before him. Loki explained a list of things so fast the maid's eyes went wide as he spoke in an unending diatribe motioning to the walls and as he went.  
She nodded to him and gestured for him to calm down.

"My prince," she said to him, "I promise you, it will look amazing, now let me go get some help, and we shall get this done."  
"Thank you," he said, relieved to be understood.

The maid walked out of his room shaking her head, knowing this was going to be an annoying few hours.

________________________________________  
Two hours later, Loki was staring at his room; everything had been put away and was tidy. A table was set before the balcony to enjoy the best view possible, elegant glass goblets and gold chargers sat ready to be filled with dishes later on. Flowers of various colors and species bloomed in vases across the floors and candles were placed everywhere to light the room with a soft glow instead of the usual torches.  
Loki looked around and smiled widely, to the maids. "Thank you, you may go." He stated to their relief and they slipped away as quickly as possible before he changed his mind yet again.  
He walked around the room and set his hands on the back of one of the chairs, watching the candles flicker around the room and smiled, pleased at the results. He noticed the time and then turned towards bath to prepare himself for the last night with a woman who he couldn't bear to see leave.  
________________________________________  
Aliah returned to her room in mid-evening. She had spent the past few hours examining the library for any useful books to take back with her tomorrow. She had found a few old tomes and immediately waved her hand watching them disappear into thin air, ready at her whim to be recalled on a wave.  
She had wandered around the palace for a while longer afterwards, inquiring of various people for the latest news around the kingdom, talking to various people here and there and readying herself to return home.

As she walked, she heard the whispers of the servants quietly talking amongst themselves. She understood immediately that Prince Loki was being a pest and demanding his rooms be decorated for some unknown private event.

The maid staff was not amused, but Aliah found it to be hilarious. She shook her head to herself and let a grin slide onto her face, understanding that Loki was being a tornado of nerves and stress in preparation for their dinner later. She giggled to herself and thought a quiet, 'he better get ready,' her eyes squinting in determination as she thought it.

Finally she walked back to her rooms and decided a long hot bath before it was time would be wonderful.

As she lay there in the tub, letting the hot water and bubbles relax her, she thought about Loki across the palace, no doubt still preparing for their dinner soon. She smiled a wicked grin to know that tonight he would become hers. She thought about him in much the same way a tiger plays with a broken animal before it finally settles down to devour it, ripping out a bleating animal's throat first before working its way down.  
Aliah imagined Loki, starting with his throat and working her way down.

"He'll never even see it coming." She thought, and eased down into the bath a little further, smiling widely at her plans for the unsuspecting prey who was unwittingly preparing himself across the palace.  
________________________________________

Loki fussed with a few more flowers and made sure the table had every utensil set perfectly. He had finally dressed in his favorite green wrap over tunic and matching green short coat.

He jumped when he heard a knock on his door. Quickly calming his nerves, he put on a face of quiet calm and imagined himself as a smooth older man, unaffected by such trivial things as girls, hoping to the gods tonight was his night.  
"Enter," he called as calm as he could.

The door swung open slightly and Aliah walked in.

"Good evening." He said, standing as tall as he could. He felt a twinge in his pants he immediately calmed when he saw her there.

Aliah was wearing her famous attire, a black pair of pants and a dark midnight blue entari with black embroidery swirls all around it. She was lovely, and he drank in her sight as she walked over to him.

"You look beautiful my lady." He said to her.

Aliah walked up to him and reached her hand up to his face, gently cupping his cheek in her hands.  
"Thank you." She said, and then leaned in, planting a small kiss on his slightly parted lips.

Loki's eyes went wide before he could stop himself, but it was over before he could do anything. Quickly she released her hand from him and took a step back.  
"You're very handsome tonight." She said.

She caught herself before a wince showed on her face as she heard a distinct high pitched sound coming from Loki's brain. He fought it off quickly thankfully as the language center of his brain switched back on.

"Thank you," he managed to vocalize finally. "Ah, would you like some wine before we eat?" he asked.

"Why yes, thank you." She answered.  
He took a bottle of wine sitting in an ice bath beside the table and gently popped the cork off. Pouring two glasses for them, he handed one to her as she gladly accepted.

"And how has your day been?" he asked.

Aliah giggled slightly, thinking how he was being very calm for someone who had been rushing around for the past few hours. She hid her knowledge of his activities and continued on.  
"Oh well, you know, I was just wandering the library for any good books I can borrow." She answered

"Ah yes, the library here is extensive," he answered. "I spend a great deal of time there; it's a wonderful resource indeed."  
Aliah smiled, and looked around, now noticing the flowers and candles everywhere.  
"Well this is lovely," she said with a smile. "You didn't go to much trouble did you?" she teased.  
"Ah well, nothing but the best for my lady, of course." He said.

Aliah smirked at his effort to look smooth.

They finished their glass of wine and he motioned to the table for her.  
"Shall we?" he asked.

"Please." She answered, and he seated her in her chair across the table from him before sitting down himself.

The table was lovely, but she couldn't see him across from the large vase of flowers sitting in the middle of it.  
'Ah, well this is nice, say um, hold on." And she got up and dragged a chair over beside Loki. "Now we can talk properly." She added.  
"Ah, of course," he said as a quick blush flushed across his face.

She giggled to him slightly as she watched him, and he chuckled slightly back to her, looking both embarrassed and enormously turned on at the same time.  
________________________________________

They chatted about various topics as they ate. Giggling to each other at various times as the night wore on. Loki didn't notice she ate only small amounts, so as not to fill up too much. Slowly Aliah let her knee gently brush his as they talked.  
Finally they reached for a dessert of berries in a thick cream sauce. It was delicious and she made a loud, "mmmmm" sound to him as she tasted it.

"Ah, yes my favorite," he said to her. "I'm glad you like it." He added.

"Yes, it's…so very sweet and …succulent." She teased as look of passion crossed her face.  
Loki simply smiled nervously.

Aliah took a small spoonful and reached out to him, offering it up for him. She carefully placed the spoon in his mouth and watched as his lips closed over it, a blush creeping across his face at her forwardness.  
"Mmm, ah yes, so good." He said, swallowing the bite.  
He took a spoonful of his and held it out to her next.

They sat there and slowly ate the dessert, feeding it to each other until nothing was left.  
"That was delicious." She said wiping her mouth with a napkin finally.

"Yes…very much so." He answered, a look of dreamy satisfaction in his eyes.  
"Would you like some fresh air on the balcony with me?" He asked.

"Ah, that would be lovely." She answered.

As they stood up, their close chairs made them end up standing close to each other. Aliah took the opportunity to reach out and she saw Loki's pupils immediately dilate as wide as they could.  
She giggled as he froze, carefully wiping her thumb just below his bottom lip.

"Ah just a little…right there." She said quietly as she smiled.

"Ah, yes, thank you." He answered quietly.

She resisted the urge to tackle him right there, an image flashed across her face of throwing him to the table and swiping an arm out across it to clear everything to the floor.  
She smiled and winked instead, heading towards the balcony close to them instead.

Loki composed himself behind her, thankful that his tunic was cut low across his crotch once again.  
He focused his thoughts from her ass just in front of his reach and poured two glasses of sweet dessert wine for them before meeting her on the balcony.  
The night air was fresh and clear, a slight summer breeze was blowing and he admired how it blew through her hair as she stood there, looking out at the mountains beyond the city lights.  
"Thank you." She said as she accepted it turning to look at him. She leaned her hip on the side of the railing, sipping the wine from the little crystal glass and looked at him.  
"That was a lovely dinner." She said to him.

"Thank you, I hoped you would like it." He answered. "I wanted to have one last…you know, before you ah." Loki couldn't bring himself to continue, the thought of her leaving weighing heavily in his heart.

"Oh let's not think of that now." She answered. "It's such a beautiful night out don't you think?" she asked.

"It's always beautiful when you're around." He said timidly.

"I think so too." She said quietly, staring into his eyes as she inched closer.  
"Are you sure you have to leave tomorrow?" he asked looking down.  
"Yes well, "she said as she inched closer, "will you miss me?"

"You know I will." He said frowning.

"Well, I could stay a little longer," she breathed, they were standing so close now. "Would you like that?" she asked, setting down her glass on the stone railing.  
"Yes, very much…my lady." He answered quietly, staring into her eyes.

"You would?" Aliah breathed, moving to stand in front of him, backing him up to the railing.  
"Oh yes" Loki breathed quietly, his eyes dilated, "I would."

And with that, Aliah snaked her hand around his hip and leaned up to kiss him.  
Loki immediately sat his glass down and wrapped his arms around her, closing his eyes as he abandoned himself to her kiss.

Aliah slid her arm around his body to the back of his neck and ran her fingers through his hair. with her hand on the back of his head, she grabbed a handful of hair and forcefully pulled his head back, forcing him to slouch down against the stone barrier.  
Loki immediately relented to her force even as he let out a quick gasp of alarm and his mouth fell open. She moved herself in between his legs and pushed herself against his body and let him feel her press up against him hard.

Loki breathed out a sigh as he felt her body press into his. She ran her tongue against his lips and he opened his mouth quickly, desperately wanting to deepen his kiss.

He reached up a hand and ran it through her hair, bringing her closer to him, he felt her breasts push against him and couldn't contain the raging in his pants any longer.

She felt his need, and she gladly brought her hips to graze his crotch. Loki let out a sigh of pleasure as she did. He let his hand slide down to her behind and gently pushed her nearer to him.  
She let him push her, feeling every inch of his member against her. She bucked her hips slowly and encouraged his erection.

"Oh…yes." He managed, thrusting out his hips, his breath hitching in his throat.

"Yes?" she called, not caring if he would say no.

Loki just nodded, his eyes half closed, his face clouded with lust for her.

"Gods yes." He called finally.  
Aliah moved her hands down to his chest and bucked her hips on him again, bringing her mouth back to his lips.  
Loki squeezed her ass harder now, his need for her obvious.

Aliah slid her hands inside his coat and slid it off behind him, the discarded coat landing on the railing behind him.  
She reached down and untied his shirt, still connected to his lips. Sliding it off behind him she ran her hands down his bare chest, feeling the muscles straining just under his skin.  
She moved her kiss down his neck, enjoying the goosebumps on his flesh as she went. She licked and sucked his neck gently as his mind melted from the feel of her.

Loki let out little sighs as she moved her mouth to his earlobe and sucked it gently. He ground his hips up to meet hers, his member threatening to break the ties restraining it.  
Aliah looked up from his neck and looked deep into his eyes, he opened them slightly to look back at her. She smiled a wide grin and took a step back from him, a piteous look on his face. She let her arm trail down his and grabbed his hand, pulling him up from the hard stone.

She led him over towards his bed, never breaking eye contact.  
She brought him to the edge of the bed, and ran her hand down across his abdomen, coming to rest on top of his pants. She flicked her hand and his pants flew open.  
A quick gasp erupted from his lips followed by a look of relief from him.

"Yes." He breathed, and leaned in to kiss her deeply.

Aliah pushed him backwards onto the bed and Loki kicked off his boots. She straddled his legs now and brought her weight to bear on his lap as she leaned down to kiss his chest, working her tongue down from his neck to a nipple, swirling her tongue around it.

Loki let out a groan of pleasure, unable to be quiet now. He slid his hands over her shoulders, sliding down her robe as he went. Aliah waved a finger and her robe was instantly unbuttoned, allowing Loki to slide it off her arms.  
Loki pulled her up to lie on top of him, grinding his hips into hers, feeling her skin against his. He slid his kisses to her cheek and made for her neck, nipping and licking her as he went. He held her as tightly as he could, breathing heavy, deep sighs into her skin as he went.

He let his hands slide down to her pants, sliding inside her waistband to feel her soft flesh underneath.  
They lie there, struggling with one another, enjoying the feeling of one another so close.

Aliah finally felt a slick feeling against her stomach from Loki's manhood. She slid his pants off him with her foot and threw them away. With a wave hers were gone as well, and she pressed herself close to his naked form.  
He panted into her hair at her touch, her lips on his collarbone, sending shivers down his body.

They wrestled together, running their legs against one another, arms and mouths searching the other all over.  
His mind had gone dead and made no sound, giving into her totally as he bucked and moaned into her.

Aliah looked up into his eyes and slid herself to sit on his lap, letting her wetness slide against his manhood pressing into her.  
Loki looked up and stared into her eyes, biting his lip as he did.

"Give yourself to me." she breathed, and his eyes rolled up to his head.  
'OH GODS YES,' his mind screamed.

He responded with a breathy "anything."

She left a trail of kisses down his chest as she bucked her hips against him, bringing his shaft to her doorway.  
Loki sucked in a slight breath and held it, staring deeply into her eyes.

As she slowly slid down his shaft, Loki let out a loud cry of pleasure, closing his eyes and throwing his head back.  
He bucked his hips up into her, feeling her squeezed around his fullness. He was so close to falling over the edge.  
'Oh gods." He managed.

"Shhhhh," she quieted him. She eased him slowly inside her, his mouth falling open in pleasure.

A low guttural growl escaped him, and he grabbed her hips holding her firm in his grasp.

He tried to roll over, but she grabbed his wrists and held them above his head, forcing him down.  
Gaining some leverage, she ground herself down onto him fully, and started a slow rhythm with her hips.  
Loki held his breath, trying desperately to hold back the moment. He couldn't take it any longer, he cried out loudly now, unable to stop himself as he fell over the edge and exploded deep inside her, bucking and panting as he rode wave upon wave of extacy at his climax.

She rode out his throbbing cock, bringing him in deeper to herself.  
"Ah… gods!" He cried, tears welling up into his eyes.

She didn't stop, she continued to ride him steadily, letting his wrists go free.

She moved her hands to his chest and ran her hands down his torso, feeling every muscle as it strained and twitched against his deep gasps.  
She leaned down close to him again, whispering a quick, "I'm not done with you yet," as she did.

"Good, don't stop" was all he could get out, before giving himself over to her fully again and again.

________________________________________

The sun peeked over the mountains streaming light into Loki's bedroom early the next morning. Loki opened his eyes and found himself curled around Aliah, their bodies entwined together with her in his arms. He breathed a contented sigh and closed his eyes, pulling her closer to him in a firm embrace.

He kissed her shoulders as he nuzzled into her hair. He breathed deep the smell of her mingled with his own.  
Aliah finally stirred at his touch, breathing deeply as he fondled her.  
"Hmmmm," she breathed out.

"Good morning." Loki cooed into her back.

Aliah smiled and breathed out a "morning you."

She rolled over and kissed his lips gently.

"And how are you this morning?" she asked with a wicked grin.  
"Ah, you should know." He said with a grin.

He kissed her lips and ran his hands down her body.  
She giggled and pushed him away playfully.  
"Come on you, we better get ready. We need to leave soon." She said.

Loki grabbed for her, a hurt look on his face.

"I don't want you to go, stay with me please." He pleaded.

Aliah laughed and stared into his eyes. She cupped her hand onto his cheek and kissed the tip of his nose.  
"If you don't pack your things and get ready, we will have to send for your things when we arrive." She stated.

"You don't want to wear the same thing for the next week do you?" she asked.

"Wait, what?" Loki asked. "Where am I going?"

"With me silly," she answered. "Don't you know?"

"What? Know what? What do you mean?" he asked, completely lost now.

"You're coming with me handsome." She answered as she got up, wrapping the sheet around her as she did.  
"Didn't they tell you?" She said.

Loki's eyes went wide and a great smile came to his face. He reached up and grabbed her now, pulling her back down on the bed holding her down as he covered her with kisses everywhere he could reach.  
"Aagh!" she exclaimed, "stop it you!" she called laughing and shrieking as he held her.

"You are an evil woman!" he called. "I thought I was losing you!" he said with a laugh.

"You have no idea." She answered.


	10. Chapter 10

Aliah hopped out of bed and away from Loki's grasp.

"Come on you." She said with a smile, "Grab what you need and say your goodbyes, then meet me at the stables in an hour."

With a wave of her hand she was fresh and clean and clothed in a blue riding entari and pants, her hair tied back for the journey.  
"Don't be late handsome." She called, and headed to the door of his room and was gone.

Loki flopped back onto his pillows, a look of dazed amazement on his face.

'Oh my gods, finally something good! Thank you!' He thought.

He moved to get up out of bed and instantly felt like he had been trampled by an army. He fought to get up and walk to the shower, despite his legs feeling as if they were now made of jelly for some reason.  
'That woman is going to kill me,' he thought. He shook his head and chuckled, unable to wipe the grin off his face as he walked to the shower feeling weak and extremely relaxed all at once.

________________________________________

Loki packed his things as quickly as he could, grabbing only his most prized books and his best outfits. As soon as he finished, he walked to his mother's chambers.

"Mother!" He called to her as she sat on her balcony.

"I'm off this morning, Aliah and I" he said.

"Ah my son," she called. "I know my dear, do you have everything?"

"Yes I think so…mother I…" he stammered.

Frigga grabbed him and hugged her youngest son close to her.  
"I know dear," she called, "I'll see you soon. I know you'll do just fine. Do your best my son and learn all you can from her. I know she will be good to you."

"Yes mother," Loki answered. He hugged her back tightly. He hated to leave her but he was ready and more than a bit excited to be going with Aliah.  
"I'll be home soon mother," he added. "I promise."

"My son," Frigga said. "I'm sure you'll make us proud."

The thought of his father made him grit his teeth, and he resolved himself to truly try.

"I'll try, maybe if father…" and he stopped. He smiled at his mother and nodded to her. He hugged her one last time and laid his forehead against hers, and then turned and left.  
________________________________________

Despite her words to Loki, Aliah had been waiting at the stables for two hours now. The three horses were waiting there, already saddled and supplies strapped to the back of the great black one.  
She was about to send Ulfr in after him to drag him out when she finally saw him walking towards her, a large duffle bag slung over his shoulder.

He walked up to her casually, a deep smile on his face and she noticed he had a slight limp he was hiding pretty well.  
Aliah smirked to Ulfr from the corner of her eye, and he snorted back slightly.

"Well," she said to him as he finally met the two of them. "You finally ready I hope?" she asked.

"Ah yes," he answered. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long?"

"No," she lied, "course not; you're only an hour late." She said slyly.

"Ah yes my apologies, I was caught rather off guard this morning." He answered.

Aliah smirked at his boldness and searched his face as he grinned at her. She heard absolutely nothing from his mind, his inner dialogue finally silenced for a time at least. She shook her head at him but couldn't help smiling at him.  
"Loki, this is Ulfr, my guard when I travel. Ulfr, Loki, my pupil." She said nodding to Ulfr.

"Ah well met master Ulfr." Loki said nodding slightly.

"My lord." Ulfr said, and finished preparing the horses.

Aliah nodded an approving nod at Loki's courtesy towards her guard.  
"Are we finally ready now then?" she asked.

"Of course," Loki answered, looking around for his horse.  
"Ah…where's my horse?" he asked.

Aliah nodded to the great black mare with the supplies already on it.  
"This one here, put your stuff on and let's go. It's a long ride." She answered.

Loki started to say something but aliah just looked at him and squinted her eyes. He decided to shut up quickly, and besides, the horse did look very strong and quite regal with its long, well-kept mane so he decided to just throw his bag onto its back and he hopped up on it.

They all mounted their horses and slowly walked out of the stables.

Loki looked back as he set off and saw his mother, waving goodbye to him, a smile on her face. He looked around to try and see his father but Odin was nowhere.

'Typical.' He thought. He waved to his mother even though they had said their goodbyes. He was thankful Thor had not been there.  
'Still too busy to see me off, of course." He thought scoffing to himself.

And with that, he turned around and followed the two of them away from the palace, towards his future.  
________________________________________  
It was around noon the next day when they finally crested the last ridge overlooking her lands. In the distance, the gleaming white stone and marble castle came into view.  
"Ah, finally, it will be so good to get home." Aliah said.

She had decided to ride easy, Loki was a good rider but she saw the telltale signs of tiredness in his thighs. Since she had thought they would be gone longer, they camped for the night and continued on early the next day.  
Now they stood staring at the valley that was Annwyn.

"It's beautiful." Loki said to her. "The castle seems so small from here."  
"I'm sure it would to you, "she said and winked at him.

Loki just smiled and they set off again.  
________________________________________

 

As they made their way through the town surrounding the castle the people came out of the shops and homes to greet them. Various people called to her as they rode.

"Welcome back my lady!" they heard from the people, some with their heads sticking out the windows and shops. A few were holding their young children up for them to see as they went past.  
Aliah nodded to every one of them and smiled as they trotted past.

"The people seem to love you." Loki said as he rode beside her. "You must be a good ruler indeed to have the love of your people so." He said as he smiled.  
"I do try." Aliah answered. "It is hard sometimes, but I make sure they are as happy as can be. Of course sometimes that means I have to hand out the hard justice." She said to him with a slight frown.  
Loki looked at her with a puzzled look.

"Don't worry," Aliah added. "You'll learn that soon enough as well."

She soothed his look with a great smile and a wink adding, "My people are happy here, and I'm sure you will be as well."  
Loki smiled at her and turned to watch the people as they walked past, smiling at them as they went.

________________________________________

As they walked towards the edge of town leading to her castle, children ran past them and threw flowers onto them, Aliah laughed and waved to them. Loki felt a sense of true happiness in his heart as he watched Aliah as she laughed, the wind blowing through her hair.

They slowly rode past a small hut located on the outskirts of the town. Suddenly they heard a noise from the side of the little thatched house. A small child sat there crying in the dirt.  
Aliah stopped her horse and got down, walking over to the little child and picked her up, holding her close despite her filthy gown and bare feet.

Loki watched her quietly, a small frown on his face, but he made sure to not say a word. Loki was too intrigued to see what she would do.

She let a deep frown grow onto her face as she patted the girl and whispered shushing sounds to her. She walked over to the door of the hut and banged on it with her hand.  
"Who lives here?' she called loudly. " I demand you come out and answer for this!" slowly the door opened and a small skinny man and a rather large woman stood on the doorway.  
"Is this your child?" Aliah asked in an angry tone.

"Oh my lady!" the woman answered. "Ah yes, I'm so sorry!" as she reached for her.

Aliah held the child away before answering her with a, "why is this poor child out here dirty and crying?" "What are you doing in there to ignore this little one this way?"  
The lady looked towards the ground and turned beet red.

"ANSWER ME!" Aliah demanded.

"Ah my lady, I have four other mouths to feed and I was trying to prepare some food for us all, it being afternoon break and all, she must have crawled out, I swear to you, I would never overlook my child my lady!" and bowed herself over in a deep bow before her.

Aliah held the child as she waved them aside and looked into the hut. It was dark inside, a small window was the only light inside she could see from. The floors were packed dirt and the thatching was coming out in patches here and there. Inside four children sat around a simple table before bowls and wooden spoons in their hands.

Aliah looked back at the woman who bowed towards her.  
She looked over to the man, skinny from hard work and a face covered in dirt.  
"What do you do for a living?" Aliah asked him

"Me lady," he answered as he bowed. "I be the poor dungman round ers. I collect it from the animals around ere and make eh best fertilizer. I sell it to the others ere for der gardens and such." He looked ashamed suddenly and tried to hide his face.  
"Is your business not good?" she asked. "Surely there is no one else who sells your ware?"

"Naw is not me lady," he answered, "I have not ene tools…I canna even grow much food, we ave nothing to plow a patch... it doesn't fetch much and ah….dey only buy it in dah early spring anyway."  
Aliah handed the child over to her mother, who gratefully took her back and bobbed her on her hip.  
"Mind her better." Aliah said simply.

"My lady, yes of course, thank you." She answered.

Aliah mounted her horse and looked at the house, from her side, Loki studied her carefully.

Aliah carefully raised her three fingers, not drawing attention to them as much as possible, but Loki saw her fingers raise slightly and knew what she was preparing to do.  
Instantly, the thatched roof was repaired and new, a fresh coat of plaster appearing on the outside. A window appeared on the other side of the house; letting in much needed light, and the floor inside became paved with fresh clean stone. Two large barrels appeared before them, filled with food and provisions that would last them no doubt, a few months.

Aliah nodded to the couple and spurred her horse onward.

Silently, Loki smiled deeply and averted his eyes, a look of proud satisfaction on his face to be in the company of a caring woman.

The couple gasped in surprise and fell to their knees as they rode off. From behind them, they heard the couple thanking her and crying at once. 'My lady, thank you! Bless our lady Aliah, bless her!" they called.  
"Ulfr," Aliah called. He waited for her to catch up to him and answered her with a "my lady?" when she did.

"When we return, make sure they get a plow and a horse as well as other tools to have a decent garden." She said.  
"As you wish." He answered.  
Aliah kicked up her horse and hurried towards the castle now, spurring the others with her as well.  
"Almost home boys," She called. "I'm ready for a bath and a meal aren't you?"

They both nodded and smiled wide, following after her quickly.

Behind her, Loki grinned to himself but kept his eyes forward, watching as the castle grounds grew larger as they approached.  
________________________________________

Riding up to the castle they came round the courtyard and stopped at the stable blocks. A page boy came out and steadied the horse as she dismounted.  
"My lady!" he said. "Welcome back!"

"Ah yes, it's good to be back." She answered as they all eased off their horses.

"Ulfr," she called. "Please have the supplies I ordered delivered to my rooms."

"Of course," Ulfr answered. Aliah slapped him on his great arm and gave him a deep smile. "Thank you my friend." She said to him.  
"And you Loki," she said as she turned to him. "Let's get you settled into a nice room shall we?"

"Ah yes please." He answered with a smile, his thighs screaming at him.

________________________________________

Aliah opened a door and held her arm out for Loki, beckoning him to enter.  
"Your room my lord." She said to him with a grin.

Loki walked in and slung his bag onto the floor. The room was of course not as big as in the palace, but the white stone was beautiful, bright and clean. A balcony was across the way from the entrance that overlooked the beautiful valley below. A welcoming fireplace was at one end with large comfortable looking leather chairs set before it. A little ornate wood desk and chair sat just to the side of the fireplace in front of a small bookcase.

On the other end, a large 4 poster bed sat beside a large window, an elegant little pull cord with a tassel just within reach hanging beside it. Elegant end tables framed the bed and he smiled to see it was draped in green and gold colors. At the end of the bed a large mirror was setting on the floor beside a large wardrobe of dark carved wood. Elegant green and black carpets were laid across the stone floor making the place very comfortable and inviting.

An archway of marble pillars led into a bath with a large stone tub lie waiting as well as a walk in shower of stones with living ferns and flowers growing out of pockets all around the inside. A great stained glass window of multiple colors reflected beautiful light into the bath. A marble wash stand stood in one corner with an ornate copper mirror before the basin.

Loki smiled wide as he looked around.

"This will be very fine. Thank you Aliah." He called.

"Ah good, I thought you would like the colors." She said. "And now, I'll let you relax and rest. Dinner is at six, you are free to roam the castle at your leisure." She said.  
She turned to walk away but Loki caught her before she walked off.

"Aliah," he said reaching for her arm gently.

Aliah turned and looked into his eyes.

 

"Thank you." He said sincerely. "For everything. I'm looking forward to our time together." he said, a slight blush coming to his face.  
Aliah smirked and took his hand from her arm and held his hand up to her lips, gently she kissed his hand and smiled a grin at him. "See you at dinner." She said simply, and walked away down the hall, her robes swishing at her manly steps.

Loki closed the door and sighed deeply. He flopped onto the great bed and sank into the soft mattress, immediately falling into a restful nap, exhausted from the trip.  
________________________________________

Aliah walked into her room a few floors above Loki's and threw off her clothes. She walked to her bath and flipped a handle, filling the great stone tub with hot water.

As it filled, she walked over to her entryway again, looking at the large parcel left by a porter from Ulfr. She opened the wrappings and looked through the items she requested. Various potion ingredients were inside ranging from different plants and animals as well as some small boxes of minerals and other elements.

She pulled out another small parcel and unwrapped it, quills and paper stared back at her as well as various books on many topics. She searched through the other items and noted them, not pulling them out. Deciding her entire list had been filled she nodded in contentment and walked back to the bath.  
________________________________________

Dinner was in a minor chamber set aside for meals that usually only included she and a few others. Tonight, as would be most nights, it included only her and Loki, as well as the captain of the guard, her closest adviser, her chamberlain as well as her constable.

As Aliah walked into dinner everyone rose to greet her, sadly she noticed Loki was not among them. She sat down at the head of her table and frowned at his empty chair. Aliah called her butler over and informed him to go wake up Loki, who was undoubtedly asleep.

She turned back to her table and smirked at them all. "The journey must have taken it out of the poor dear." She said to them.  
They all smiled and nodded to her and they happily started their meal.

Loki walked in a short time later looking extremely ashamed as her adviser was talking to her about various topics.

"Ah Loki," she called, a smirk on her face as she did so, "so nice of you to join us."

Loki bowed slightly before her as he took his seat next to her. "Forgive me my lady," he said, "I was more tired from the ride than I was aware, it won't happen again." He said.  
"I'm sure it will my dear." She teased.

"Everyone, this is my pupil Loki, he now holds the title of master of the bedchamber…( at this Loki turned a light shade of plaid but stared intently at his food finding it incredibly interesting just then.) …and will be with us for some time." She then introduced each one present in turn, giving their names and titles.

She had seen his embarrassment at the title he now held and reminded herself to inform him later of the true nature of the name and duties that went with it, it was all perfectly normal and found his embarrassment abnormally endearing for some reason.  
Loki just smiled and nodded to them all and started into his food, now realizing he was ravenous.  
"Do continue Bjorn," she called.

"Ah yes, my lady, as I was saying, the monthly people's court will be held in 3 days. I have a docket of the grievances already drawn up and will be presenting it to you tomorrow." He said.  
"Very good Bjorn, anything in particular I should be aware of? Or is it the usual grievances?" she asked.

"There is one, my lady," he said carefully. "You should be aware of…"

"Hmmm, I see, I will of course make sure to examine it tomorrow, I am much too tired after the week I have had. Thank you Bjorn." She said.  
________________________________________

After dinner was finished Aliah walked Loki back to his room.

"I'm sure you're very tired." She said to him. She was extremely tired herself and was looking forward to her own bed again after being away.  
"I will let you get some much needed rest. I have some business to attend to tomorrow so I will see you at dinner if nothing else." She said.

Loki nodded to her, his eyes drooping as he felt the bed calling him again, but even so, He looked into her eyes with a slightly sad face.

"Ah now what's that face for? She asked him. "You are more than welcome to come and find me any time you please. Understand?" she asked.

Loki smiled and felt much better, he had been worried he was to be nothing more than a caged bird but the freedom she afforded him of movement and access to her, which he deeply wanted more of, set his mind at ease.  
"Thank you…I was worried you wouldn't see much of me." He said timidly.

"Oh, of course not, don't feel that way" she said. "Come and see me tomorrow whenever you please, I'm sure I'll be in either my offices or at my chair." She answered.

And with that, she reached out and cupped his cheek in her hand, he loved when she did this, her touch always sending a surge of electricity through him ending straight in his groin.  
She reached up and kissed him deeply, snaking her hand around his head and slipping her fingers through his hair.

Loki woke up at her touch and hugged her close to him, deepening his kiss and begging for entry into her mouth with his tongue.

Aliah pushed against him and backed him up against his door, sucking his tongue into her mouth and raking her teeth against it gently. She wrestled with his tongue for a while and finally pulled away gently, finishing the kiss by gently sucking his bottom lip into her mouth. She looked up at him as she finished and gave him a sleepy wicked smile.

"Now now," she called to him quietly. "We're both too tired for that tonight handsome. I'll see you tomorrow, sleep well." She said as he nodded and smiled back finally.

She turned and wearily walked to the stairs heading for her room. He watched her slowly walk away, he was tired and couldn't wait to lie down, but he also wanted desperately to crawl in bed with her and let her ravage him again. His exhaustion won out and he decided to simply go inside and crawl into bed.  
________________________________________

That night Loki dreamed of riding horses across landscapes made entirely of food. As he rode past odd towns everyone poured out of the little houses and cheered at him as he rode by. Suddenly he was sharing a saddle with Aliah while chamberlains and advisers shouted at him. Suddenly they were calling him master of the lady's bedchamber, Loki wasn't sure how he felt about that as he turned to see some cows and deer staring at him.


	11. Chapter 11

Loki woke up early the next morning, refreshed and ready for the day. His thighs were back to normal, 'thank the gods' he thought quietly and proceeded to pull the cord beside his bed letting the maid know he was up.

He crawled out of bed and retrieved his duffle bag still thrown by the door where he had unceremoniously slung it in his haste to get some much needed rest the day before. He opened it up and deposited all the contents onto the now empty bed. He grabbed a pair of black slim fitting pants and slipped them on, lacing up the front panel that held him in before examining all the rest of the items.

Various books and articles of clothing and toiletry items looked back at him as he spread it all out before him.

He took a handful of the clothes into his arms and went to the great armoire across the room and hung up everything he could.

The door opened behind him and a large middle aged maid walked in with a tray of tea and milk along with a small jar of honey as well as an assortment of fruits and a small bowl of skyr arranged on little plates. She walked over and placed the tray on the little table before the balcony. Turning she bowed slightly towards Loki, who was still engrossed in the contents of the great armoire.

She watched him for a second as he stood there, hanging up his clothes and raised a quick eyebrow as she took in his firm little ass. She tore her eyes away from him before she stared too long, she knew he was off limits but she still couldn't help feeling a blush rise up in her face at his topless perfect form.

"My lord," she called, wavering a little bit but then quickly recovering, looking at the floor helped a bit, thankfully, "ah, we weren't sure what you would like so we brought this, please let me know if you prefer anything else usually in the mornings." She said.

Loki walked over to the table and smiled at the woman, examining the items laid out before him. "This is perfect, thank you." He answered nodding his head.  
The lady turned around and left, closing the door silently as she slipped from the room. As she walked down the hall she couldn't help but shake her head and think, 'lord almighty, I love my job.'

________________________________________  
Loki sat down at the table and poured the tea into a little cup and added his milk. Spreading a dollop of honey onto the skyr he then took some fruit and sliced it into the tart yogurt like sludge. Loki took a bite and noticed how fresh the skyr was and smiled, as he sat there enjoying his food, he thought about his situation.

He decided it was time to explore his new surroundings, right after he finished his breakfast and put away his few belongings.  
________________________________________  
Aliah opened her eyes and rolled over to look out across her room. The familiar surroundings were comforting but also served to remind her she needed to get down to her offices and get to work. The business of running the realm had no doubt built up while she had been away and she couldn't lie around in bed sleeping in any longer.

'No rest for the wicked." She told herself and pushed herself up to sit on the edge of the bed. She walked to her bath and took a hot shower letting the water help to wake her up and relax her muscles.

She shut off the shower eventually, and walked back to her bedroom. She waved her hand and her hair curled into a cascading fall of curls all around her. She waved again and was clothed in her usual attire, a light application of makeup appearing as well. She looked to see perfectly shaded eyes and light red lips shining out from her reflection. She was glad her magic makeup never rubbed off, she had a tendency to forget it was there as she rubbed her eyes through the day and before she learned this magic spell she had raccoon eyes every other hour.

She walked down the halls towards her offices and found her feet walking by Loki's room as she looked up. She quietly listened at the door and heard the sounds of him obviously having breakfast. She smiled to herself, thinking how very nice it was to have him around. She thought about how he tasted almost as delicious as the sweet honey he was probably eating just inside the door.

She smiled to herself and decided not to bother him. Knowing that he was inside, calm and relaxed with his own thought settled her predator instinct to attack. She was too busy for anything else, and so she walked on down the hall.  
________________________________________  
As Aliah walked into her offices, she saw her head advisor already waiting on her at one of the tables. A large stack of papers were in his hand and he was reading them over as he looked up and saw her walk in.

He stood up and bowed slightly. "My lady," he called.

"Good morning," she nodded to him in greeting.

"I have here the docket for the people's court," he called, quickly shuffling the papers back together in a neat stack. He tamed the mass finally and handed them over with a slight nod, extending them in both hands to her respectfully.

"Yes, thank you Bjorn, now what was this about one being special?" she asked as she looked down at the stack in her hands. she carefully sat down in the largest chair at the head table and started to shuffle through them, glancing at each title as she went.

"Ah yes," he responded, leaning over and flipping through to the last in the pile. Pulling it out he sat it on the top of the stack and cleared his throat.  
"Ahem, I ah…well I think I'll just let you read it." He answered.

Aliah read the parchment in front of her, a frown growing larger and larger as her eyes scanned down the page.

Finally she looked up to Bjorn and let out a simple, "I'm going to need some tea and food brought if you would please. Have some sent for you as well if you like."  
________________________________________  
Loki wandered the halls of the castle slowly enjoying the various pictures and tapestries placed tastefully around as he went.

They were not as large and impressive as he was used to of course, and none of them were framed in gold either, but they were all obviously painted by masters in their own field none the less and he enjoyed seeing new paintings for a change. He had memorized every one that was in the palace back in the capital years ago and he had grown weary of seeing the same ones over and over.

As Loki walked, he slowly noticed that unlike back home, the passing maids and other staff didn't try to blend into the wall to avoid him. The smiled genuinely to him and nodded slightly before they continued on their way. No obvious bad vibes were felt from them as he passed. It was the eyes he thought, that always saw through the polite smiles back home to reveal their true thoughts of him as he passed. They made him feel odd back home, one too many tricks or pranks he had pulled he had thought for years before he realized, it was just him personally he surmised.

But here, he was quietly smiled at in a way that a made him feel simply, normal finally.

He found himself not needing to worry about his idiot brother coming around a corner unexpectedly to tease or taunt him, and he let himself relax and enjoy his stroll.  
'This is going to be delightful.' He told himself, a feeling of ease and contentment spreading through him.

He wandered the castle poking into wherever he could, finding closets and bathrooms and broom cupboards and servants stations filled with towels and soaps and other items here and there. He wandered up the stairs to a great library filled with books, which was of course, much smaller than back home again, but it was well lit and was filled with comfortable chairs and small tables and was a good size for any place outside from the capital. He smiled to see such a quiet, comfortable library and reminded himself to come back later and spend many hours looking through the collection.

He wandered down each hallway, wondering which one was Aliah's room. He decided not to ask any of the servants, not wanting to look nosey and besides, he thought, he was sure to be invited soon, he hoped.

Loki wandered into the main floor finally and turned a corner to see the kitchens off to the side. Walking over to the large bustling kitchen area, Loki peeked inside to see several women and a few men chopping and preparing various assorted vegetables and dead animals. There were still many people to be fed even though alias entire court was massively smaller than back home. He watched the people work for a bit before turning around and walking out, noticing a small stairway leading upwards, which led most probably to the servant's quarters above. He let them all be, and continued back the other way towards where he thought Alias's offices would be located.

He walked into a large room with wood panels on the lower half of the stone walls, all carved intricately and elegantly out of dark wood. At one end was a single chair, elegant and obviously set as a throne on a small raised dais. It was a comfortable chair and obviously nothing like the throne his father sat on. This was elegant and beautiful but held only one normal size person instead of being solid gold and big enough for two horses. He scoffed silently to himself at the thought of his father seated at the ostentatious chair feeling a quick twinge of sadness that he pushed aside quickly, refusing to let his good feeling be destroyed. At the other end of the hall, hard wood benches were sat for audiences obviously.

He walked up to the throne and examined it, a plush pillow was sitting upon the seat and the arms had been cushioned. He imagined Aliah sitting there, a leg slung over one arm and he smiled to think that she was the kind of woman to sit that way.

He walked through the door at the left of the throne and saw little rooms trailing off in both directions along the hall beyond it. A small stair led up and downwards, a guard stood rigidly stationed just at the base.

This was where the guards were housed along with the dungeons further down he surmised. If he would walk up the stairs instead he would come out at the parapets circling the castle obviously.

Walking in further along the hall he turned a corner and came to a solid door with intricate carving on its face. He nodded to the guard posted out front and the guard nodded back to him. "These are her offices my lord." The guard answered quickly, he had been briefed about Loki's arrival and knew he was allowed access anywhere he wished obviously. The guard opened the door to him and went back to his watch.

Loki walked into a room with fine carpets and large windows shining light everywhere. Bookcases were stacked along the walls and a few tables were placed here and there. A smaller door led to the side and he opened it slowly and looked inside.

________________________________________  
Aliah sat at the large table inside looking at various papers spread out before her. She sat slouched in her chair with a quill in her mouth, staring intently at one of them as she read. A pot of tea and a cup and saucer sat just beyond the papers, a small plate of half eaten fruit and scones sitting to the side.

Aliah turned her head slightly and saw Loki's head poking around the door. A grin came to her face as she turned back to her paper. "Well, good morning you." She said to him.  
Loki smiled and came through the door, closing it quietly behind him as he did. "Good morning my lady," he answered.

"And how have you been finding my humble home?" she asked him not looking up.

"It's a beautiful place you have here." He answered walking over to stand beside her at the table. "I've enjoyed wandering it immensely thank you." He added.

"Ah, well good." She said, "Did you sleep well?" she asked.

"Ah yes, very much. I feel much better, thank you." He said.

"Thighs not so sore I hope?" she asked with a wicked grin.

Loki refused the blush that tried to rise in his face and he simply smiled and looked aside, letting out a small, "eheheh, indeed my lady."

Aliah watched him from the side of her eye, enjoying his smile. She chuckled slightly at his fake air of calm and sat the paper down in front of her, having read it already a few times before his arrival.

"Well good," she said finally, "we wouldn't want you ruined already now would we?" she smiled.  
"Ah," he answered, "not yet by any means." He said with a wicked grin.

"Good." Aliah said happily. "Well I'm glad you're here," she added. "We need to get you going on your studies and get your schedule set with the captain of the guard for training. There's a lot that needs to be done."

"I do hope that's not the only reason why you're glad I'm here." He said with a slight grin on his face.  
"Your attempts to wriggle out of your duties are futile my dear." She stated with a grin.

"What me, I would never dream of such a thing!" he answered grinning back at her so widely it was obvious they both knew he was joking.  
Aliah chuckled again and turned to look at him head on now. She immediately rose from her chair and looked into his eyes. Reaching up she placed her hand on his cheek and stroked her thumb down his strong jaw, a shiver went through Loki's neck as she did.

"You're so full of it." she said to him as she flashed a grin at him. She ran her thumb down to his chin and tweaked it, immediately releasing him.  
She turned back to the table and waved her hand, a great stack of at least 10 large books appeared before them.

"Now then, first things first," She said seriously. "These are some books I've picked out for you. They cover various topics such as diplomacy, public speaking, as well as few law precedents you'll need to read." She said.

"There's a few others here, this one," she picked up a book from the pile and held it up, "this one is a short overview of the sociological views of the inhabitants of the worlds in the all the realms. It will give you a good insight into how the peoples there think and view themselves. It's a very valuable thing for a ruler to understand where his people are coming from." She said.

Loki nodded and picked up a book, reading its title carefully before picking up the next and reading them in turn.  
"You should know, I have already read some of these, my oaf of a brother is the one who never steps foot in the library back home, but I am not against a more in depth study of course. Should I start with any one in particular?" he asked.

"I would start with the public speaking and sociology ones first, save the dry law for later when you have time, it will take a while to get through, they are terribly boring really. We of course will be going over some things you already know, but there is only so much one can learn without a good discussion." She answered.

"I see, well, now I know what my free time will be composed of at least." He said with a slight frown.

"Ah not to worry," she said. "I have plenty more fun activities planned for you. I'm sure you'll love some more than others." She added.  
"Ah like what pray tell?" Loki asked.

"Well among others, your training to fight and defend yourself will be one. But I'm sure you'll find my magic lessons to your approval as well as making sure you sit with me at my courts," She said.

"Ah, magic lessons!" he exclaimed. "I was hoping you would teach me all you know; I do confess I have wanted to improve my skills in that area." He said.  
Aliah giggled slightly. "Yes I know. Well, we will make sure you master all I know of course. I'm sure my personal attention to you will be most…pleasant." She said with a sly smile aimed his way.

"Indeed my lady." Loki answered with a grin.

"Good," she answered. You may join me here in my offices when you are done with your readings every day. It will be much easier to go over your thoughts on them that way. We can also go over any business I attend to and discuss those as well. Dealing with all the day to day details always take up the majority of any good rulers' time. It's good to get familiar with how people react early." She stated.

Aliah looked at him with a serious tone suddenly and leaned back on the table. "Sometimes the judgments I hand down will seem….harsh." she said with a straight face. "But, you must understand that they need to be done." She said. "in certain cases," she continued, "I need to make sure an example is set, otherwise …" she paused as if thinking how to continue.

"Otherwise, you may seem weak and besides, a truly heinous crime deserves a truly heinous punishment." He said matter-of-factly.

Aliah looked up at him with a slightly surprised expression, she examined him a moment and finally beamed a satisfied look at him.  
"I'm so glad you we understand one another." She answered.

Come on," she said as she leaned up from the table. "Let's go have some lunch."

Loki nodded and followed after her.

"I hope you like gravlax." She called

"Of course," Loki answered, "who doesn't?"  
________________________________________  
After lunch Aliah took Loki to the training area and introduced him to the captain of the guard. Master Gunnar was an older man with salt and pepper hair and a scruffy beard and rugged face. He also had a foul mouth and wasn't too impressed with anything it seemed.

"Yeah, I'll train him." He said simply after their introductions. "But don't expect me to go easy on ya boy. I'm not impressed with high stations and titles so don't expect me to wipe yer arse for ya alright? Ya need to learn to fight, and by the gods ill make sure you can, got it?" he asked.

"I do indeed sir, thank you." Loki said sincerely. "I look forward to your instruction." He added.

Loki and Aliah headed back inside. As they walked up a large stairway headed for god knows where, Loki turned to Aliah and finally let out a, "well he was pleasant."

"Yes," Aliah answered, "you won't find any better around, how do you think he got to be so old in the first place? Playing fair and being nice?" she answered with a smile.  
"Point taken." Loki answered.  
________________________________________  
On the highest floor they turned a corner and walked to the only door in the small hall. It was a large old wood door with arcane scratchings etched into it.

Aliah waved her hand and they heard a large 'thunk' on the other side as the inside bolt slid open. The door swung open and they walked in.

Stepping inside, Aliah waved a hand again and iron braziers and torches lit up all over.

"This," she waved an arm to gesture to the room, "is where you will find everything you need to practice your magic." She said.

The room was surrounded by large bookshelves holding old books on various spells and theories on magic. A large table sat to one side with glass beakers and test tubes. A great amblic and retort to one side. On the other, various boxes and packages held plants and herbs and other potion ingredients.

Another shelf held a wide selection of ingredients as well as row upon row of bottles and jars labeled with odd names printed on little labels.

"Oh this is wonderful." Loki said, his eyes growing wide as he looked around, finally settling back on Aliah when he had finished. "This will be fun." He added.  
"I'm glad you approve." She said. "Don't get too excited," she added. "I'm sure you'll be sick of practicing soon enough."

"impossible." Loki answered with a grin. He was itching to get started, even then. The allure of the possibility of increasing his magical repertoire was calling to him so loudly he could almost taste it.

"What should we start with?" Loki said.

"Oh you are eager, aren't you?" Aliah teased.

Loki felt comfortable here surrounded by all the magical supplies, it being his favorite subject and all, and held onto the confidence it inspired in him. Easing forward towards Aliah, he leaned cockily on the side of a table and eased close to her.

"Why, yes." He said to her, grinning wildly. "I am very eager my lady."

Aliah grinned at him and just put her hand on her hip and stared at him, his confidence made her look at him deeply and she answered with a, "oh you are, are you?"  
Loki got up from the table and stood in front of her so close he could have kissed her.

"Why, yes," he said quietly. "I'm, extremely, eager to learn from you my lady. I do hope you know that."

Aliah wasn't about to let him have the control this early on and quickly decided to have some fun with him.

"Ah well good," she said, a sultry tone in her voice as she moved toward him. She placed her hand on his hips and moved in close for a kiss before she stopped. "Let's have our first lesson then shall we?" she answered. Loki's eyes went wide and she saw his pupils dilate wide at her words.

Aliah waved a hand and suddenly a metal collar and handcuffs connected to a thick, solid chain appeared around Loki's neck and wrists. The chains instantly pulled taught and drug him to a wall, securing him there with his arms stretched out.

Aliah slowly walked over and stood in front of him. His eyes were wide as he stared at her in disbelief. She leaned in and let her body push against his as she leaned her cheek against his. She slid a leg between his and kicked his legs apart violently, grinding her hips into his groin. She slid her mouth up to his ear, almost touching it with her lips. She felt him shiver underneath her and he breathed in slightly, a slight twitch erupting in his pants letting her know he was turned on but trying to hold it back.

She quietly breathed the words, "I'm in charge" to him, and then ran her tongue gently around his ear.

Loki's member sprang to life beneath her and he let out a quiet sigh into her ear.

"Yes ma'am." He breathed in a haze of hormones.

"Anything you say," he said quietly.  
Aliah hadn't planned on this happening but seeing him so helpless like this turned her into a prowling tiger now, her helpless prey ready to be devoured in front of her.  
Aliah ran her hands up under his shirt and caressed his sides.

"Anything eh?" she whispered into his ear, and then ran her tongue down his exposed neck, trying to hold back from taking a bite out of it.  
"Oh gods yes," Loki answered quietly. "Please….ahhhh…don't stop." He breathed.

She breathed in his scent and smelled it mixed with his shampoo and whatever he used to slick his hair back. He smelled wonderful; she could almost taste his lust now as well, mixing with the flush of his blood pumping through his veins. She couldn't hold herself back any longer.

She waved her fingers and his shirt flew open, exposing his chest to her touch as she ran her hands across him to hold it open to her touch.

Running her lips over his neck again gently, she listened to him suck air in slowly as she went. Finally, she gave in and latched onto his sweet neck gently sucking and flicking her tongue against the skin.

Loki erupted with a gasp and groaned loudly, he let his eyes roll up into his head and gave himself over to the feeling totally.

She gently bit ad sucked his neck, moving down slowly towards his collarbone. Loki could only writhe in his shackles slightly, his hands balling up into fists before releasing and then repeating the action. The only real movement he could make was to push his hips against her back and forth, trying desperately to grind into her.

He was delicious. She wanted to take great bites of his neck into her mouth and she intensified the pressure she exerted. She ran her teeth over his neck now as she sucked and dug into his muscles, if she had fangs, she would have torn out his throat and devoured him then and there.

Loki only moaned loudly and managed to get out a "yes," here and there.

Aliah ran her hands down his arms, chained out to his side. She moved her lips to his sides and slid her tongue down them, stopping at his nipple and swirling her tongue around it to Loki's pleasure. She looked back up at him and saw his mouth open wide in a face of pure lust. She ran her tongue just above his naval and kept her eye on him, he looked down at her now, and his eyes went wide as they locked eyes.

She left little kisses as she moved down his navel slowly. Loki kept his eyes locked on hers and could only manage a quiet "oh gods, yes" at her touch.

Aliah slid her hands down to his hips and slid her hands around to his firm ass, squeezing his cheeks in her grasp.

"Who's in charge?" she called up to him.

"Oh gods, you are." He breathed.

"Who is?" she said louder.

"You are Aliah." He answered louder.

She slid up his body, letting him feel her breasts drag across him as she went. She brought her lips up to his and held them just out of reach.  
"Your gods damned right." She answered, and reached her hand down into his pants, running her hand over his member, finally grabbing a firm hold of it.

"AH!" He managed and threw his head back, his eyes rolling backwards as he did.

She untied his pants with her other hand and pulled him out as he moaned.

"You want this?" she asked quietly.

"YES!" He answered breathlessly.

"What do you want?" she teased.

"You," He answered.

She jerked him harder a few times and then stopped, letting him regain control a bit.  
"What do you want?" she asked again, moving her hand up and down him slowly again, her thumb running over his corona gently.

He met her gaze, their eyes so close now. His eyes went wide when he realized what she wanted to hear. He blushed a bright shade of red at his realization.  
"Make me cum." He breathed quietly, biting his lip afterward.

"I can't hear you." She breathed into his ear.

"MAKE ME CUM, PLEASE …Aliah, please." He answered loudly.

She smiled a wicked smile at his words and kissed him hard, sucking his tongue into her mouth as she pumped him hard now, letting his wetness cover his head and lubricate her strokes.

He quickly moaned and tore his head away from her kiss to gasp for air, his legs nearly buckled under him and he cried out in release as he came undone in her hand.  
She felt his cum erupt violently in her hand, she let it spill out over her arm and coat and splash onto his navel. She waited till he stopped throbbing and quickly waved her hand over him and it disappeared, leaving them clean of the sticky, thick fluid.

She snaked her hands around his waist afterward and held him in her embrace. He was thankful for the cuffs on his wrist now, they held him up since his legs were not responding at all.

"Oh gods my lady," He finally spoke. "you're amazing."

He let his eyes fall to hers again now, and slowly refocused them. As he caught his breath, he tugged at his shackles now, wanting to wrap his arms around her.  
She waved her hand and they disappeared, his arms fell to his side and wrapped them around her, holding her tight.

"I think you needed that." She said quietly.

"Oh yes." He answered.

He leaned down and kissed her lips, running his tongue over them and breathing deeply.  
"What about you?" he breathed.

Aliah looked into his eyes and stopped; she searched his face and listened to his mind carefully. She heard him thinking a quiet, 'I want to hear her cum.' She had never had a man care if she got hers before, and she couldn't help but smile back at him.

She blushed a little now, her! She, the lady who was stalking him, caught herself before she let herself blush at this beautiful man in front of her.  
She composed herself and let a grin slide onto her face. She kissed him and held him tight now.

"Oh don't worry handsome," she said quickly, "I'm not done with you yet, save your strength for tonight."

Loki smiled at her and held her close, breathing out a quiet reply of "good," into her ear.

He finally let his arms release her and she breathed a quiet cough and moved towards a bookcase, giving him a moment of privacy to replace his clothes and his dignity.  
She looked at the books on the shelf and searched through them, looking at the names on the spines as she went. She felt him slowly come up behind her and he wrapped his arms around her in a tender embrace, his head leaning on her shoulder looking at the books on the shelf with her. He kissed her cheek and growled a quiet, "mmmm" at her. He then released her, moving to stand beside her as he watched her.

She looked over at him and chuckled slightly. She quickly thought how much he made her smile and grinned happily to a book in her hands.  
Pushing the thoughts of what had just happened away, she turned the book over and showed the name to Loki.

"Have you read this?" she asked.

Loki looked at the name and immediately answered with a slight, "No actually, I have not."

"Hmmm, I think this would be a good one for you to read first." She answered. "It's one that will give you a much better power flow for when you cast. I noticed you tend to use only your first two fingers; you should start with your whole hand instead. You'll have better control and flow this way, slowly you can use fewer if you choose." She explained.  
"Ah that makes much more sense." He answered. "I notice you use your first three fingers, is that because of this technique?" he asked.

"Yes exactly, I started with my entire palm extended, but over time I was able to channel better through these three, these two…" and she held up her hand as if to cast, her pinky and ring finger folded inward, "channel the energy much better for me now, you may find it differently however, using your whole hand is so much better. You may change later but do it this way first." She said.

"I will, thank you." Loki said.

Aliah then took a scrap of paper from the table and marked the chapter explaining the mechanics of the movement for him.

They sat there talking and discussing their abilities and techniques until dinner time. Loki explaining truthfully had only mastered the art of becoming invisible or creating copies of himself. Aliah pointing out passages and techniques that he should explore first.

"We'll try a little bit of everything tomorrow, see if you prefer one element over the other, get you doing more than just tipping glasses over on people and hiding from everyone, sound good?" she asked.

"Sounds wonderful my lady." Loki answered.

She waved her hand over the great book and it disappeared.

"You must teach me that as well." He said as it disappeared.

"Ah I will, it takes some setting up actually, the book will be waiting for you back in your room for you to study it." she answered.  
Loki flashed a warm smile at her and said a quick, "thank you Aliah."

She chuckled at him, and grabbed his hand, pulling him up to follow her.  
"Come on," she said finally, "let's go eat."

They walked back down the hall towards her personal dining room, hand in hand and smiled at each other as they went.  
Aliah thought a quick, 'well, at least the seducing him part is going well,' to herself as they walked.


	12. Chapter 12

It was extremely late, or early depending on how it was viewed, when Aliah finally had her fill of Loki for the night and fell back on the pillow breathing heavily.

She reached her arms out and pulled him into an embrace, his head resting on her collarbone and one of his arms draped over her stomach. Loki smiled a deep satisfied grin as he lie upon her, sweaty and exhausted from their efforts.  
After dinner he had asked to see her room and she happily obliged, they hadn't left the room again that night.

He gently kissed her a few times and relaxed against her, running his hand over her belly button in a playful manner.

Aliah smiled down at him and kissed the top of his head as she lay there, staring at the ceiling recovering. She ran her hand down his arm a few times before she heard the telltale sound of deep breathing followed by an unmistakable soft snore coming from him.

She rolled her head around in the pillow, trying to get the perfect elevation and quickly followed him into dreamland.

The next morning Aliah awoke to slightly sore muscles, nothing to be worried about of course, and reached out to wake Loki up. Feeling nothing beside her she opened her eyes to look around, he wasn't in bed. She turned her head and scanned the room, Loki was standing in front of her balcony looking out, a cup of tea in his hand. 

Loki looked over to her just then and noticed she was awake. Quickly he put his cup and saucer down and walked over to her with a playful smile on his face.

"Good morning my lady." He said as he knelt down before the bed. "I woke up earlier and called for some breakfast, I thought you might be hungry after last night." He said. "Would you care to join me?" he added.  
Aliah looked past him and saw a tray laid out waiting for them on the little table.

"Mmmm," she said stretching, "yes that sounds wonderful, thank you." She answered with sleepy eyes. Loki held out his hand to help her up, wrapping his arms around her once she was standing.

"My," he said quietly, "you are beautiful in the morning," he said simply, as he stared into her eyes.

Aliah realized then her hair was a mess from their play last night and chuckled softly at him. "Ah, you lie so well." She said simply.

She reached her hand up to make the spell that would fix her hair and makeup, but Loki gently took her hand in his before she could and brought it to his lips. Kissing her hand gently he looked at her and said a simple, "I mean it."

Aliah simply smirked at him and chuckled softly to herself. She looked at him sideways and said simply, "oh, you are good," and tweaked his chin. This made Loki chuckle a slight, "ehehe" to her, his eyes however, were serious and she knew he wasn't lying.

They smiled at each other and Loki finally turned towards the table, pouring a cup of tea for her while she finished her spell and was fresh and clothes, hair tamed and ready for the day.

They sat down together and enjoyed a light breakfast of skyr and fruit with tea as they looked out at the morning sky. Finally Aliah looked over to him as she finished and smiled.   
"Well," she said, "that was very nice of you, thank you Loki." She got up and kissed him on the forehead and turned around to check the mirror.

"I'll get going now, duty calls of course. Make sure you get back to your room and get going on your readings. Come by around eleven and we'll discuss how it's coming before lunch."  
"Of course." Loki answered as he finished his cup and got up as well.

They walked to the hallway and turned separate directions, heading off to their different duties of the day. As she turned the corner, she looked back and saw him turning to look at her as well before they both turned the corner and were gone.  
________________________________________  
Aliah walked into her offices and saw Bjorn as well as another adviser and her intelligence officer waiting for her.

"Good morning gentlemen," she called. They bowed to her as she walked over to her chair behind the large table and sat down.

"What's going on today dare I ask?" she stated.

Bjorn was the first to speak and stated a simple, "My lady, there has been a report of some significance, master Var here," as he motioned to the intelligence officer, "has the report you should see." He stated.

"Very good, thank you all" she said as she accepted some papers from the middle aged thin man who was in charge of intelligence around her kingdom.

Master Var was a quiet man, and did his job well, he was excellent at keeping tabs of all the news and secrets around her kingdom and enjoyed his job too well sometimes. Because of this, she kept another pair of eyes on him, which she was sure he already knew about just the same.

Aliah sat there quietly reading them before she turned her head and looked back at them. "Take a seat gentlemen, this needs to be discussed." She said.

They all sat down across from her at the table, and she proceeded.

"So, what demands do the protesters make?" she asked simply.  
Var spoke up first, "my lady, the mine workers are demanding extreme changes that simply, cannot happen. They have stopped all work at the mines and are hostile to anyone trying to cross their lines entirely. they have barricaded themselves in at the mine. "  
"Has anyone tried negotiating yet?" she asked.

"Yes my lady," Var answered. "But they have refused anyone trying, they say they won't end this until you come in person!" he said.  
"I see, and just what are their demands?" she asked.

"They are demanding a better wage; they seem to be extremely agitated that they cannot make a living even though they are compensated fairly by any standard. They also demand days off every week and contracts be signed ensuring their injuries are treated and paid for by the overseers! Can you imagine?" he said.

"And how much do they make now?" she asked.

"A fair amount, no more than what is being paid any other worker of the same level elsewhere my lady." Var said.  
"And how much is that?" Aliah asked again, getting slightly angry she had to repeat herself.

"Err, let me see." He said and retrieved some papers from a folder. Finding the right one he passed it over to her and Aliah studied it carefully.

"This is a record of the wages paid, depending on length they are employed as well as benefits and rights as workers at the mine." He stated.

"I see," Aliah said carefully. "Bjorn I want you to get me a report on the prices of commodities currently such as grain, beer, and cloth as well as the taxes on imports and exports." She stated.  
"When I have those, I will decide how to proceed from there. Thank you gentlemen, is there anything else?" she said.  
"No my lady," they said.

Aliah rose from her chair and gave them each a slight nod, adding a quick, "thank you then, let me know if anything changes."

The men bowed slightly to her and turned to walk out.  
"And master Var," Aliah added, "good work, thank you."

Var nodded courteously to her and walked out the door.

Aliah turned back to the papers before her and studied them carefully. Var was thorough with his intelligence, and she read carefully the names of the instigators, where they were from and various other details about the issue.  
Finally she pulled a cord and called a servant to her.

As the door opened a young man stepped in and bowed to her. "My lady," he called.

"Ah yes, tea if you please, also send in Bjorn again. Thank you." She said and turned back to the papers piling up before her. "Oh and also," she added before he left, "send for my tailor mistress Celiedh."  
________________________________________  
Loki stared at the book before him for a while before he realized he hadn't actually been reading anything. He closed the book and sat back in his chair, raising a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose; he finally stood up and looked out his balcony.  
He was bored. And a bored Loki meant one thing, screw everything else, it was time to go do something better than this right now. It was still early in the morning and he had plenty of time to go do whatever he wished before coming back to retrieve his books to meet Aliah before lunch.

'Time to inspect that library closer.' He thought, and walked out the door heading that way.  
As he leisurely walked down the halls he checked into any room he missed the day before. He found numerous bedrooms of a similar size and layout to his own as well as servant stations, in another room he found a closet filled with fur coats and animal stoles, 'oogh I love furs!' he thought when he saw them.

Quickly he looked through them all and selected a great white wolf pelt and draped it around him. "mmmm," he said contentedly and continued down the hall.  
Loki looked in another door and found a room that held some carefully wrapped statuary and paintings.

“This is odd” he thought to himself, but instead of inspecting them closer, he decided to come investigate this room more thoroughly at another time.  
He walked into the library again and gazed at the stacks with a smile on his face.

Walking around the stacks he skimmed the titles of books before him. He walked over towards the middle and found the card index. He scanned the book sections listed there and found the magic reference section quickly. Walking over to a small metal stairway that wound upwards he proceeded to the top section and glanced around. No one was there and this floor afforded him a perfect view of the entire library. He found a comfortable couch and loveseat positioned by a large window in the corner and decided that this would be his personal realm for the entirety of his stay. Aside from a servant to bring him food and drinks, he had everything he needed.

Looking at the books he noticed how many of them he had already read or were beginner tutorials on subjects he already understood. He frowned slightly but then immediately remembered the room Aliah showed him yesterday and quickly headed back the way he came to go there.

On his way there he had just opened another door to peek inside when he heard voices coming towards him. He ducked into the room and quietly closed the door before they could see him and stood there listening to them as they passed. An older servant lady was talking to a younger woman in hushed tones about a guest he surmised.

"And I swear to you," The older lady said, "I have never seen a paler person in my life! It was like the sun hated him really, it was gorgeous! But you shoulda seen the tight ass on him girl."  
Loki quickly blushed when he realized it was the maid who brings him his breakfast.

The other girl giggled furiously at her words and responded with a simple, "Oh do go on! I haven't seen him yet, I've heard he is absolutely ripped with muscles, is that true?" she asked.  
"oh my lords," she answered, "you should have seen that sweet package shoved into those tight jeans, I very nearly fell over I swear to you!" they both giggled and sighed to each other before passing by the door and heading off down the hall away from Loki's range of hearing.

Loki stood there behind the door and smiled a wicked grin to himself. He looked down at his pants inspecting himself before opening the door and, checking that the coast was clear, stepped out and resumed his walk to the magic study. His ego was overflowing now, having heard the ladies talking about him, and he continued down the hall now with a wide grin and a spirited step, his arms swinging and his coattails swishing around him.

"I'll remember that," he thought with an evil grin, "I think I need to call the maid as soon as I wake from now on."  
________________________________________  
Walking up the last flight of stairs he arrived in front of the old wood door and studied the scratching more closely now. He recognized wards of protection in the runes as well as the spell to bar the door. He tried the door and found it was indeed bolted tightly. Concentrating on the bolt he tried reached out with his mind and finally heard the familiar, 'thunk' from the other side. Pleased with himself he opened the door and went inside.

The braziers and torches fired to life as soon as he crossed the threshold by themselves and he looked around in utter glee at the room before him. He crossed to the large bookshelf and studied the books closer. Many were very old and worn and every one was very on advanced levels of magic he had never seen before. A few were in a language he had never seen before and could not make out where exactly they were from.

He selected a book that focused on finding a persons preferred element and then walked across the room. Loki examined the amblic and retort closer, they were very old and made of worn copper and covered in a film from years of use. He sat down in a chair and opened the book and became engrossed in the words.

When he looked up finally, he looked over to a clock ticking away on the wall and was horrified to see that it was noon.  
"FUCK!" he exclaimed. He jumped up and quickly walked out of the room down towards Aliah's offices.

________________________________________  
Aliah had been engrossed in the report Bjorn had brought in earlier and sat there examining them closely. She finished the report on tax rates for various areas when she finally looked up and rubbed her eyes. She sighed heavily and pushed the papers aside. Getting up she poured herself another cup of tea and added some milk from the tray sitting on a table beside the window in the room. She stirred it with a little silver spoon and took a drink, looking over to the wall noting the time. The clock stared back at her displaying 11:55 on the dial.

'Hmmm,' she thought quietly, 'Loki should have been here by now, I wonder what the hell he's doing to be so late?' she took the teacup back over to her desk and sat down in the chair. Relaxing her head back she reached out with her mind and traveled the halls looking for him. She wandered up to his room and seeing that it was empty, she moved on to the library. Finding no one but a few scholars and librarians, she wandered up to the magic chamber. She found the door wide open and indeed, as she suspected, Loki was sitting inside reading a book on element selection.

"Oh you little shit," she thought. 'I told you to read your other books, and on top of that you're late.' She thought. She came back to her offices and opened her eyes. "Now what are we going to do about this?' she mused. She thought about it for a minute noting that she had only looked up a good half hour after she had told him to meet her, so technically, she would have been late as well, but she put that out of mind and smiled to herself when she realized a perfect punishment. Turning back to her reports, she pulled the cord for her servant.

When the man came in again she turned to him and said, "Please bring my lunch in here today, thank you," and went back to reading.

________________________________________  
Aliah was just finishing off her second smorbrod when she heard the knob turn and looked up to see Loki walk in looking rather embarrassed.

"Nice to see you finally show up." She said simply.

"Ah yes, I ah, do apologize." He stumbled. "I lost track of the time it seems." He added  
"I'll say," Aliah said as she looked up to the clock. "It's 12:20 now, you've missed lunch I'm afraid and you need to be out with Master Gunnar in ten minutes. You better get a move on. We'll deal with your little tardiness problem later. Now get going." She stated and picked up a paper on import taxes and ignored him.

"As you wish," Loki said with a remorseful look and walked out the door.

Aliah noted the sad look on his face as he turned and waited till he was gone to lay the paper down and stare at the closed door. She reached out and took another smorbrod and thought 'ah, it'll be good for him, little prince needs to learn to be on time.'  
________________________________________  
Loki walked towards the training grounds and cursed himself for being late. 'how could I have lost track of time like that?' he thought, "damn, I hope she's not too mad.' He honestly had never meant any offense to Aliah.

In fact, now that he thought about it, he could see himself messing with everyone around him except her, he would never want to make her mad, she made him feel happy in the short time he knew her. He thought back to the palace and it suddenly felt like a lifetime ago that he was surrounded by people trying to avoid him or fawning over his brother. Now, in this place, he wasn't a child, a second overlooked son who was something just in the way and annoying. Here the servants were talking about how handsome he was and Aliah, well, he finally felt accepted and …he dared not even continue the thought. 'I wonder what she meant by deal with me later?'

He tried to put all that away as he walked over to master Gunnar standing beside a group of guards as they practiced their maneuvers.

Gunnar waited till Loki was standing before him and said a simple, " Follow me,let's get started."  
________________________________________  
Loki walked back into the castle offices feeling absolutely famished. He was also dirty, had a boot mark on the back part of his coat that covered his ass and had a growing dark bruise on his upper arm.  
Loki turned the knob of the door before him and slowly walked into Aliah's offices.

Aliah looked up at him from her desk as she was talking to Bjorn and smirked at him before turning back to her adviser saying a quick, "thank you Bjorn that will be all. We will continue with the court tomorrow as planned and I'll get back about this matter afterwards."

Bjorn bowed to her and turned to leave, closing the door quietly behind him. Loki stood there looking a mess and hung his head to the floor with a frown.  
"You look terrible." Aliah said quietly.

"I feel terrible." He answered simply.  
Aliah walked over to him and moved his hand from his arm he had been holding, she winced when she saw a great bruise welling up under his torn sleeve.  
"Ah, yeah that looks bad, here let me help." She waved her hand over the spot and the bruise evaporated.

She waved her hand again and the rip disappeared, perfectly fixed as if it never happened.

"Master Gunnar doesn't go easy on anyone, don't feel bad if you didn't best him on the first day." she said sympathetically.  
"I know, I think I'm not really very good with swords and axes like the rest, I much prefer knives and thrown weapons." Loki answered.  
"Well, we will make sure you get more training with those then." Aliah answered.

"Anywhere else?" she asked.

"It hurts here," Loki pointed to his side.

Aliah waved her hand over his rib and he sighed a relieved little sound.  
"Thank you." Loki said quietly. He looked back up to her now and let out a simple, "I'm starving." Any way we can get something to eat?" he pleaded.

Aliah walked back to her desk and pulled out a plate of smorbrod and sat it down in front of the chair.  
Loki gave her a grateful look and sat down in the chair, immediately grabbing a piece and shoving it in his mouth.

She poured him a cup of tea and sat it in front of him. Walking back around the table she sat back down in her chair and picked up some papers and read them. Aliah then leaned back and put her feet up on the table. They sat there together in silence, her reading while he shoved numerous pieces of food in his mouth.

When Loki finally finished the plate of food and drained the cup of tea, he leaned back in his chair and rested his head on the back and closed his eyes feeling his need to have a nap almost overwhelming.  
"Come on," Aliah said.

Loki looked up and she was standing over him, he had somehow not heard her get up and come over to him. He tried to open his eyes fully but he just couldn't bring himself to move right now.  
"Ok, I'm getting up." Loki said as he sat there not moving. He closed his eyes again unable to keep them open now at all.

Aliah stood there watching him drift off to sleep siting up and knew that the ass kicking he had received from Gunnar on top of missing lunch and eating so quickly afterward had taken all he had out of him.

She waved her three fingers and cast a subtle spell on herself. She then reached down and picked Loki up in her arms and rested his head against her shoulder. She walked out and carried him all the way back to her room where she carefully deposited him onto the bed, his head propped up on a pillow and threw a light blanket over him.  
________________________________________  
Aliah sat at the little table before her balcony, her legs propped up on the table before her watching Loki in between reading the book she held in her hands.

He had been asleep for about an hour when she finally heard him stir and roll over, a slight groan coming from him. She put down the book and lowered her legs and got up, walking over to him quietly. He breathed a deep sigh and opened his eyes to see her standing above him and he smiled up to her.

'Ah, I seem to have, ah…" he mumbled.  
"Yes, you fell asleep." She answered.

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry." He said quietly as he pushed himself up.

"Yes well, that is what happens when you run late and miss lunch you know." She answered.  
Loki gave her a small grimace and nodded his head to her.

"Yes, your right of course." He answered quietly, "I will endeavor to pay more attention. Truly, I didn't mean for that to happen my lady." He answered.  
"I know you didn't handsome" she said, "Sadly, this has cut into our magic lessons, now were going to be behind." She said.  
Loki's eyes went wide and he frowned deeply.

"Ah damn." He said simply.  
Aliah got up and poured a drink for him from a silver beaker.  
"Here," she said, "drink this, it will help."

Loki smelled it and wrinkled his nose, but he took a great gulp of it and let out a quick "ugh!" as it went down.

"This is terrible! What is it?" he asked.  
"It's called cappuccino." She said. "And it'll get you up and going in a few minutes."

"Ugh, I'm up now, oh this is truly awful. Who drinks this?"

"It's from midgard, the people there live on it. In a few minutes you'll be filled with energy again."

"Midgard? That backwater realm. I thought nothing good could come from those primitive people." He said.

"Well not much does besides this," she said flatly. "Well, that and some music" she said.

Loki raised one eyebrow to her and looked incredulously at her.

"I'll play some for you sometime, trust me." She said and winked at him.

Loki stood up now and looked around for his boots, suddenly realizing they were not on his feet anymore.  
"How did I get here?" he asked locating his boots and slipping them back on.

"I carried you." Aliah said completely unfazed.

"That was very kind of you Aliah." Loki said. "Thank you for letting me rest."  
"It's no problem, now are you ready to get to some studies finally?" she asked.  
Loki's eyes went wide, not from the magic lesson he was eager for, but because at that exact moment the cappuccino double shot she gave him had finally kicked in.  
"OH MY GODS YES I FEEL AMAZING I WAS SO WRONG ABOUT THAT TERRIBLE DRINK!" he exclaimed.  
"Oh dear," Aliah said, "That might not have been the best idea I've ever had."  
"NO, NO THIS IS GREAT! YES LETS GET TO SOME MAGIC STUDIES! I'M SO READY FOR THIS!"

"Loki," Aliah called after him as he started running around the room towards the door, obviously headed to the magic study upstairs, but it was too late, he was already out the door and headed down the hall.

"Well fuck." She said simply, and got up to follow after him.  
________________________________________  
Loki was pacing around the room when she finally entered the magic study, having gotten there a lot quicker than her.

"Loki," Aliah called but was quickly cut off before she could continue.  
"Ah yes, finally you're here! What shall we begin with my lady?" he said with a deep bow and a hearty laugh.  
"Well, she said calmly," we can start with a bit more calm please." She said with a straight face.

"Ah I am sorry I just feel so energized! It's wonderful!" he answered.

"Uh huh," Aliah leveled at him. "Well, I'm glad you like it, so first off, what were you doing to be late this morning?" she asked.  
"Ah yes, I am sorry about that, I was ah," he stammered, looking around trying to lie but the caffeine was making him far too obvious.  
"You didn't perhaps come up here and completely ignore everything else did you now?" Aliah asked.

"I ah, yes may have done exactly that." Loki answered, the caffeine coursing through him making him smile wide even though he should have been feeling sad.  
Aliah frowned deeply and made a mental not to only give him one shot of espresso from now on. She went over to a shelf and searched around through the bottles and pots and pulled one out. She walked over to Loki and handed it to him as she pulled out the cork.

"Here, drink this." She said.

"What is it?" he asked suspiciously, with an odd wide grin. "Oogh it can't be poison, or maybe a…."

He was cut off by Aliah shoving the contents of it in his mouth and down his throat. The potion instantly took effect and Loki was now calmed and back to his usual self.  
"Better?" Aliah asked.

"Ah, yes better, my apology, that was ah, very potent stuff." He said simply.  
"Yes I know," Aliah said.

"So now, what was this about you not doing your readings and instead hanging out here all morning?" she asked.  
Loki gritted his teeth and looked back at her flatly. "Well, I got bored. "He answered finally.

"Ok well, from now on," Aliah said, "were going to set you up in my offices and you can study in there with me, since you get bored so easily." She stated. "That way you can also be there when my advisers inform me of issues and we can keep you from being so distracted." She added.

"Fine," Loki said, immediately sad he had lost a bit of freedom to roam as he pleased.

Now then," Aliah stated, picking up the book on magical elements, "let me see you cast some fire."  
"I ah, can't actually," Loki answered.

"Ok, well then, ice?" Aliah asked.  
"I have never actually tried to be honest." He answered.

Aliah frowned and flipped to a page with a simple spell and showed it to him.  
"Here, try this one." She said.

Loki looked at the page and sat back, concentrating on the words.

He moved his hand across an empty space on the table and nothing happened. Frowning he closed his eyes and tried again. Nothing happened still.  
Aliah sighed quietly. "Ok," she said finally, "were going to need to practice more."

By the time dinner arrived, Loki had successfully demonstrated how he could disappear into thin air, make a perfect copy of himself that moved around and was able to change his appearance into anything he wished. He had also demonstrated how he could throw his shape changing abilities onto someone else as well, by making Aliah look exactly like a goat. As for any other elemental magic, he had produced nothing at all.

"Well at least we know what you can do," Aliah said, "now we can concentrate on what's going wrong with casting other forms." She said.

"We'll try some more after dinner." She stated. "I'm famished."

Loki nodded his approval, "me too." He added simply.  
________________________________________  
After a hearty meal of farikal and a dessert of krumkake they headed back to Aliah's room to relax and let it all settle.

 

Once there, Aliah poured them each a small glass of dessert wine and sat on the balcony enjoying the evening air with Loki.  
"It is a delightful view." He stated as he looked out over the fields and little houses far below them.

"Yes," she answered. "It's always been a nice peaceful place."

"How long have you been the lady here?" he asked.

"My parents passed only 80 years ago or so." She answered.  
"Not long really," she added.

Loki nodded and added," it must have been hard."

"No it wasn't," Aliah answered, "we weren't close, and the freedom it finally allowed me when they were gone was a relief." She stated simply.  
"I can understand that," Loki said.

Aliah smiled at him and drained her glass. Walking back inside, she sat the cup on the table and turned around to him.  
"Well," Aliah said, "I feel like a bath, how about you?" she asked.

"Oh yes," Loki said with a wide grin, "that does sound lovely."

"Ah good, you can watch." She stated.

"What, only watch?" Loki asked with a pouting face.

"Yes," Aliah answered," you neglected your duties, arrived late to lunch, made us miss some important magic lesson time and…" she walked over to him and put her hands around his neck. Bringing his head down close to hers she continued, "I don't like to be ignored." She finished.

"I'm so sorry…" Loki started but was cut off by Aliah waving her hand. Immediately a muzzle appeared strapped across his face silencing him. Chains appeared around his wrists and ankles and he was forced to stand still, glued to the spot.

"I know you are handsome," she answered slyly. 'But I'm going to make sure you remember."

She walked over to the bed and Loki was allowed only enough movement to follow her. upon reaching the bed the chains forced him to sit down, as he did, the chains snapped tight and he was forced to lie down, his arms and legs spread out to the four corners.

Loki could only look at her with a questioning look as she walked over to the bath and flipped the handle allowing the great stone tub to begin filling with hot steaming water. She walked back out and Loki saw she was wearing a dark green and black shear nightgown of lace and beads.

He watched her silently with large pleading eyes as she walked and sat down in front of him on the bed and began to file her nails, completely ignoring him.

He struggled to make any kind of noise and finally gave up, only able to watch her. He tried desperately to see more of her as she moved, her gown moving around her body allowing only teasing glimpses here and there.

She finished filing her nails and put away the nail file into a drawer on the end table by the bed. As she leaned over, she saw Loki's eyes pleading for a view of her lace covered breasts. She was so close he could smell her, but not touch.

She looked over at him now and waved her fingers, his coat and shirt disappeared along with his boots. She crawled over to him and looked down at him, a slight jump coming from his groin. She leaned over and ran her tongue down his navel, looking into his wide pleading eyes as she went. Finally she moved her hand and untied his pants, opening the fly wide on each side so as to expose him. Loki let out a muffled moan that turned to frustration as she immediately got up and went to the bathroom, slipping off the gown, and settling into the tub of hot sudsy water, all within his view.

He could do nothing but lie there watching her relaxing. Eventually she dunked herself down and grabbed some soap from a dish and began to lather herself up. Loki whined piteously as he watched her, helplessly tied to the bed.  
Finally Aliah got up from the tub and let it drain. She dried herself with a fluffy towel and her lace nightgown re-appeared. She walked back into the bedroom, with Loki's eyes following her closely, and made the lights dim till only candlelight shown round the room. She sat down on the bed just out of his reach. She pulled out a book from the nightstand and flipped it open to a chapter halfway into the book and sat there reading.

Loki could only plead piteously with his eyes as he silently watched her sitting there ignoring him.

Finally Aliah looked over and flicked her hand, Loki's pants instantly disappeared and he was stark naked sprawled out before her. His cock jumped to life and she heard him whining under his muzzle.

She looked up over her book at him and finally spoke a quiet, "are you going to be on time from now on?"

Loki's head furiously nodded up and down, his pleading eyes screaming at her silently.

"I would hope so," she said finally.  
She put the book on the floor and rolled back to her spot and flipped around, her feet by Loki's head, still not touching him, and sighed loudly. She ran her hands down over breasts and down her stomach.  
Loki's eyes went wide and his face turned maroon. He watched her intently as she ran her hands down to her mound and ran her hand over herself, letting her fingers explore.

Loki now tried to pull the chains out of the wall to free himself somehow but he couldn't move at all. Aliah giggled evilly as she watched him desperately try to get free to touch her but it was no use, she refused him.  
She finally got up and carefully straddled his stomach, making sure no part of her touched his crying hard-on.

Aliah waved a hand and extinguished the remaining light, allowing only the moonlight outside to bathe the room in a soft glow.

She ran her hands over his chest and gently dragged her fingernails across his skin, leaving goosebumps in her wake. She slid off him now and lay down beside him, running her hands up and down his chest and stomach. She gently leaned down and ran her tongue down his body, hearing muffled whimpered as she went. She moved her tongue lower and lower until she was just above his erect member when she waved her hand and the gag disappeared.

Loki shut the fuck up immediately in fear it would come back if he spoke.

She stared into his eyes as she moved her hand to gently push aside his cock. Carefully she ran her tongue down his pubic bone, and grazed it with her chin.

Loki was making small shallow breathing noises while biting his lip trying desperately to be quiet.

"I won't put it back on," she said simply and at that, Loki let out a low moan.

She moved her tongue and ran it around the base of his cock slowly, trailing it down his balls and gently licked and sucked him into her mouth. She reached a hand up and ran her finger down his shaft lightly.  
Loki's cock bobbed back and forth as his body jerked and flexed. She reached both hands up now and grabbed his hips, running her tongue and teeth down his thighs as she went.  
Loki tried to still be quiet but couldn't help himself as he moaned more loudly towards the ceiling.

Aliah moved her mouth again back to the base of his shaft and worked her way down. Gently she cupped his balls and moved them aside, sliding her tongue down under them. Loki gently bucked and heaved under her touch, barely able to stand it any longer. She ran her tongue down gently to tease under his balls and heard Loki moan loudly, unable to stop himself. he threw his head back and called out a loud, "oh my gods...Aliah yes!"  
She trailed her tongue down to his sensitive underside and froze...


	13. Chapter 13

Aliah moved her tongue slightly to the side of Loki's innermost thigh, thinking for a moment, careful to not let Loki see the surprise on her face.

"What in blue hellheim?" she said quietly to herself.

She wasn't sure exactly what she had felt but she knew it wasn't ordinary. She composed herself and looked up at him briefly. Loki's head was still thrown back on the pillow, his mouth open as he enjoyed her touch.

She slid her tongue back to underneath his jewels and ran her tongue down him carefully. She felt an opening just there and probed it delicately with her tongue, a sweet familiar nectar greeted her in response. Loki moaned loudly at her touch, and breathed in shallow breaths as her tongue caressed his slit. It was a small opening, perfectly hidden beneath him and had a structure quite different from a normal yoni. But the fact could no longer be questioned in her mind, Loki was in possession of both sexes, there could be no doubt.

Aliah's mind kicked into overdrive and thoughts flooded over her now. Loki walked with a grace unlike any other man she had seen. His long slender fingers holding his books now flashed before her and she saw him again in the library, sitting with his legs perfectly crossed. She saw him again earlier in the day wearing a white wolf pelt draped around his shoulders, a look of pleased satisfaction on his face as he sat reading a book. Her mind switched and she saw his decidedly a-symmetrical clothes now in a new light. She had never thought of it before, but thinking on it quickly now, she had never seen another man with these characteristics before. These were undoubtedly un-masculine qualities displayed only by women and suddenly, she felt like a puzzle had fallen into place.

She looked back up to Loki who showed no signs of embarrassment at all. He either didn't know this was not normal or was completely accepting of the fact. Given how she knew he was seen as different back home, she thought perhaps this was the reason for it but was unsure. It would be entirely possible that if he was not told he was different he would never know. But that had to be impossible, how could anyone get to be so old and not know this wasn't normal?  
"Do you like that?" she called to him quietly, searching to see if he would show any embarrassment.

"Oh yes," he called back.

She sent out her mind and came to his, searching to hear his thoughts.

"Do I make you wet there?" she called again, listening for his innermost answer.

"Oh gods yes." Loki answered quietly.

Aliah heard his mind respond quietly. Whispers swirled thorough him quickly of 'I was hoping she would go down there soon…please don't stop…finally…don't hurt me please….will it hurt?'

Aliah slowly moved her tongue back up to his naval and trailed kisses up his body to his neck, finally stopping at his lips and stared into his eyes.

She had to think about this, he obviously wasn't ashamed or afraid. She could only surmise that he either wasn't told every other man wasn't like this, being as it would be impossible to see unless in these exact circumstances or that this subject had somehow never come up. She had to think about this more, she would need to go to her library and research this before she proceeded.

Her mind was confused, but one quick thought flashed through her and made her smile, she had a new avenue available to dominate him totally.  
She decided to let this part of him be for now while she thought more on what to do about it later.

She brought her lips close to his and looked deep into his eyes; she turned her tone serious now and took her hands away from him completely.

"When you are late, you shame me." She said simply.

" You also shame yourself, others quietly laugh at you when you do this and they see you as nothing more than a child. You lose their respect. Never let it happen again." She said.  
Aliah waved her fingers and the restraints holding Loki back disappeared.

"Do you understand me?" she said forcefully.

"Yes." Loki answered quickly, his face instantly changing from pleasure to one of question.

"Do you understand me?" she asked again.

"Yes my lady" Loki answered louder now, his face twisting into a hurt expression. She noticed his eyes start to turn slightly red.

Aliah moved beside him and retrieved her book from the floor, returning to lie on the pillows making sure not to touch him in any way.  
"You may go back to your room now, don't ever do it again." She stated calmly.

She opened her book and started to read where she left off.

Loki moved himself onto his knees to look at her, a hurt expression on his face. The comment about him being seen as a child had hurt him, his father's word now screaming in his ears.

He reached out to her but she let out a quick, "don't touch me." before he could reach out to her.

"Go," he heard her say without looking up from her book.

His eyes welled up with tears he desperately tried to hold back now, he refused to let any tear fall but his eyes showed his true thoughts.

"Please," he said simply, "don't ignore me." He now felt as if his mistake had suddenly broken a precious thing, and he was flooded with the knowledge that no one had ever truly paid him any attention before, not like her, and he had ruined it.  
Aliah lay there quietly, not looking at him.

Loki couldn't take it anymore, he was sorry truly, he thought to himself how he would make sure he would never be late to anything ever again.

"PLEASE!" he cried, slapping the book out of her hands, "DON'T IGNORE ME LIKE ALL THE REST!" a small tear running down his pleading hurt face.

Aliah's quick look of anger was replaced with a blunted look. She looked carefully at him as he sat there on his knees, begging her to not take her affections away, the trauma of his father caring little for him all his life showing clearly.  
Aliah's expression eased and she reached out her arm to wrap around Loki, pulling him down to lay his head on her shoulder.

She felt her shoulder grow wet but he refused to cry openly, he was used to holding back and hiding his feelings well by now, and Aliah knew that the hot tears she felt upon her were unable to be restrained despite how much he was desperately trying to now.  
She rubbed her hand slowly up and down his back comforting him.

Silence spread between them for a long moment, neither of them able to say anything to the other.

Aliah finally reached her other arm around and brought Loki’s tear streaked face up to hers. She cupped his face in her hand gently and ran a thumb down his jaw, pulling his chin upwards into a gentle sweet kiss. She ran her hand around his cheek and into his hair, stroking him gently.

Loki breathed little sighs of relief at her kiss. She kissed him deeper now and ran her tongue across his lips, sucking gently on his bottom lip.  
She heard his mind whispering quietly thoughts of, 'I'm sorry, don't stop, please don't ignore me, they always ignore me.'

She pulled away slightly and smiled at him, bringing her hand back to stroke his face.

"Fine." She said simply.

He laid his head back down on her shoulder and held her tightly to him. She could feel his emotions wash over him, a tight lump in the very pit of his soul.  
She bit her lip and felt torn between being sad for him and being repulsed at his tender emotions.

She decided she did not want him in a state where she couldn't enjoy his body and waved her hand towards the bath. The switch in the great stone basin flipped and it started to refill with steaming hot water. She ran her hand down his back and buried one in his hair, stroking him harder. She rolled over and pushed him down, kissing his face and finally kissing him hard. She forced her tongue into his mouth and swirled her tongue around his. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to him, breathing heavily in between their lips.

She waved her hand subtly and cast the strength spell on herself. Slowly she pulled him to the side of the bed and picked him up in her arms, carrying him to the bath where she gently let him down beside the tub.

She ran her hands down his body and gently took his hand in hers; she led him into the tub and turned him to face away from her, pulling him to sit in front of her.  
Loki breathed a sigh of relief at the hot water, letting his mouth fall open slightly as he felt the warmth embrace him. She pulled him back to her, pressing his back against her breasts and wrapped her legs around his sides. She held him closely in a tender embrace that way for some time, stroking his shoulders and chest and running a hand through his hair.

Finally she pulled away slightly and gently poured water over his hair. Reaching around behind her, she took some shampoo in her hand and gently washed his hair, lathering his hair into a great soapy mass, carefully massaging his head with each stroke. Loki sighed at her touch, closing his eyes and smiling as her hands caressed his head. She carefully wiped the soap from his brow, before it got into his eyes. She tended to his neck and back carefully washing him as tenderly as she could.  
He looked back at her and she saw his smile, his eyes still slightly red. He watched her face as she worked, not wanting to meet her eyes out of sadness still.

She reached out and pushed him back into her, kissing him gently, caressing his face. She broke away and looked at him deeply, moving her gaze between his two eyes, watching him, searching him. Finally she kissed him again, and turned him around to tend to his body.

She rinsed his hair carefully, running her hands down his head to get every bit out. She pulled away and turned to kneel on one knee, pulling him to stand up before her.  
Loki stood up carefully, embarrassed at his nakedness now, his manhood so close to her eyelevel. She put some soap on a sponge and tenderly cleaned and soaped every inch of him as if she was worshiping him there before her.  
Wetting the sponge clean when he was all soapy finally, she squeezed out clean water over him and washed the soap away, carefully running her hands over every inch of his form. Loki watched her hands caress him and finally closed his eyes again, letting her tend him, a contented smile on his face.

She stood up and held out her hand, steadying him as he stepped out of the basin. She took a large towel and carefully patted him dry, leaving little kisses on his skin as she went.

When he was dry, she finished with little kisses on his neck. Loki smiled deeply and let his mouth fall open slightly. She took his hand and drew him carefully back to the bed, lying him down on the pillows before crawling in beside him. She kissed and licked his neck, trailing lower and lower down the length of his body. He breathed soft sighs as she went, his eyes closing in ecstasy at her attention. He ran his hand into her hair and massaged her scalp gently.  
She trailed down and finally moved his legs apart, seating herself between them. Loki opened his eyes and watched her as she moved her mouth down his pelvis and ran her tongue around the base of his shaft. Loki grew hard in her hands as she ran her tongue up and down his length. His mouth fell open and he kept his eyes on her, watching silently unable to tear his gaze away from her.

She licked his head, and slowly sucked him into her mouth, a low moan escaping his lips. She sucked harder now and pushed him deep into her throat, trailing her tongue around his corona when she came up. Loki's head fell back, a loud moan escaping his lips. He buried both hands into her hair, running his fingers over her scalp.

She went faster after a while, bobbing up and down on him in a steady rhythm, she heard him gasp and felt his body tense, he pushed her head down on his member, unable to resist the urge to come undone. She felt his moment arrive and heard him cry out above her.

His mind melted as he gave into the feeling. He let out a loud guttural, "AAAAHHHH!" as she drank him down, his member throbbing as he erupted in her mouth.  
She licked the last drop from him as his hands fell away from her hair.

Slowly she came back up and lay down beside him, pulling him into a tender embrace around her. He buried his head in her shoulder and kissed her neck, trying to regain control of his breathing.

"Aliah..." Loki called quietly. Aliah pulled him closer and held him tight at his words, shushing him quietly before he could continue.

They lay together in their embrace, curled around each other until he fell asleep, snoring quietly on her.

As soon as Aliah heard him snoring softly, she waved her hand and cast a gentle sleep spell on him ensuring he stayed asleep.

Slowly Aliah pulled herself from his embrace and laid him comfortably on a pillow, covering his naked form with the silk sheet.  
She got out of bed and waved a long robe onto her, tying it around her as she slipped sturdy slippers onto her feet and walked out the door.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Aliah walked to the library and looked around carefully. It was late enough that no one was around, only a few lamps were lit to light the corners and walls remained.

She walked over to towards the back, and turned a corner, coming to a wall of books along an alcove in the back. She reached her hand up and pulled a book from the shelf around chest level, searching the frame of the shelf with her hands. Feeling the recessed button, she pressed it and replaced the book as it swung inward, revealing a small stair leading down. She walked in and swung the shelf closed again before descending.

Coming to the bottom of the stair she walked into a great room lit up by great torches, rows of shelves of books looked back at her. A great table sat in the middle covered with books in various states of repair. Some looked as if they had been ripped apart, lying in a neat stack; others were covered with a new binder and were almost ready to be covered with new leather.

She walked around the shelves and ran her hands down the spines, reading the words that shown out in bright letters. She came to one book and read its cover. Pulling it out, she flipped through the pages carefully and walked back to the table.

She sat the great book before her and turned to the page she sought. She finally smoothed the spine as she looked at the chapter title. "ANATOMY OF THE INHABITANTS OF THE NINE WORLDS" it read.

She flipped through the chapter and scanned the pictures inside. She examined the diagrams of various people before her, reading first those of the Aesir. She quickly ran her hand down the page scanning the words describing the sexual and reproductive nature, looking for anything matching Loki's characteristic. Seeing nothing she scanned through other people listed in sequence.

Checking off every race as she went, she finally came to the section on Jotun anatomy and stopped.

She read the words as her eyes grew wide and her mouth fell open. She read the chapter twice, making sure to read carefully so she would not miss anything. Examining the diagrams closer, she finally accepted the words before her eyes.  
'Jotuns are the only race to exhibit both male and female genitalia of all the known worlds. Both male and female Jotuns are possessed of both sets of organs, and it is possible for both genders to bear children with the only difference being that the women are smaller than the males and are possessed of much smaller penis lengths. The males display smaller vaginas, well hidden behind their larger, more predominant male organs.'

Aliah closed the book and sat back thinking. Either Loki had been born with a mutation that would obviously be hidden from him and everyone else because of his royal lineage, or he was a jotun. There were only these two possibilities in her mind. Loki looked nothing like a jotun however, and she decided it must be the first possibility. She had to know for sure. If Odin was hiding something, it would explain why he had been so neglectful of Loki all his life. It would also explain why he had emphasized his demand that Loki be trained in diplomacy above everything else.

It was entirely possible Aliah realized, for Odin to embed a spell to hide his jotun features, even from Loki, if he had performed the spell very early in Loki's life.

She had to know which it was. If there was a spell embedded in Loki, she would find it. She just had to search for a spell to discover it.

Aliah thought about how no matter what the answer revealed, she knew one thing. She was going to need a spell to take care of Loki's …other need.  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Aliah walked back to her room and sat down on the side of the bed. She watched Loki lying there, peacefully sleeping, unaware she had ever left.

Watching his chest rise up and down, she looked closer at his form now, an eye out for anything else out of the ordinary.

He was tall, taller by a head at least next to Thor. That could easily be explained of course and nothing else really stood out about him, aside from his very pale complexion and black hair. Thinking about Thor and Frigga and Odin, she realized they were all blond and tan, Loki was not.

She turned him on his back and slid his legs open, knowing the spell would keep him asleep even if the castle was falling down around them.

Aliah reached over and pulled an oil lamp to her and set it closer to the bed. She reached out and gently slid her hand under Loki’s jewels, staring at what she saw before her, she easily saw how his hidden yoni matched the diagrams in the book perfectly.  
She closed his legs and put the light out, crawling into bed and pushing him over on his side so that she was spooned around behind him. She sighed quietly and got comfortable behind him.

'The poor thing, he doesn't even know. What has happened to you my dear?' she wondered, something wasn't right and she had to find out what was going on with him.  
She then turned her thoughts to the delightful possibility of being able to dominate Loki as if she were a man. A spell would easily give her the equipment she needed to accomplish the task, and she enjoyed the thought of fucking Loki with her own magically created male member.

She waved her hand to remove the spell on him before dropping off to sleep, dreaming of the look on his face as she took his cherry.

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Aliah woke first next morning, she saw that Loki was curled into a peaceful fetal position in front of her, her arms wrapped around him in a comfortable embrace. She got up and pulled the cord beside her bed, then walked to the balcony to look out, a robe appearing around her again as she went.

She stood there thinking about Loki and his…special gift.  
She reached out and searched his still sleeping mind, searching through memories he held deep inside. Scanning him like pages in a book, she saw a quick flash of his mother, telling him to never be uncovered outside of his brother. She saw them bathing together as children, but aside from that, he had made sure to always be modest. Loki had never thought to question anything, seeing how his brother looked, at least from the outside, to be the same as him. It was easy to see how his extra part would be hidden from view and any thought as well.

She sighed as the door opened and the servant walked in, tray in hand containing fruit and tea as well as muesli this morning.

"Thank you, Inga," she said. "Please," she added quickly before she left, "send for Celiedh."

Aliah walked over and woke Loki up.  
"Hey you, wake up." She called gently.

Loki rolled over and breathed deeply, stretching his arms and legs as he did.  
"Ungh, good morning my lady." He answered with a smile.

"Come on you, time to get up, we have a busy day today." She said.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As soon as they had finished their food, Aliah's tailor, mistress Celiedh had walked in and bowed deeply before them.

"Ah, yes, thank you for coming" Aliah called to her

Celiedh was a small, slender woman with long dark blond hair. She carried a great bag slung over her chest filled with all manner of things for her craft. Scissors and a notebook and tape measures spilled out the top of the bag, as well as giant knitting needles and various colors of yarn could be seen out the top.

"My lady," she answered. "I am at your service, how may I serve you?" she called.

Aliah smirked to her and nodded over towards Loki. He turned in his chair where he sat sipping his tea and looked at the tailor with a questioning look.  
"This is Lord Loki, my pupil," Aliah told her. "He will need some things made while he is with us, please take his measurements and make him a set of fine court garb as well as more pants and shirts as to his liking. He will also need more sets of sleep wear as well as a robe."

"As you wish." She said simply.

Loki got up and walked to Aliah keeping his eye on the tailor as he went.

"Thank you my lady." He said to Aliah. "This is very thoughtful of you. I was just thinking how I was in need of more attire." He said.

"Of course my sweetest one." Aliah said to him. Taking his hand in her she kissed it gently. Loki smiled gently to her at her words and looked down at her, a small blush creeping onto his cheeks.  
"When she is done with you, meet me in the throne room. Today is the people's court and it will take some time, I will need you to sit with me." she stated.  
"Of course," Loki answered and nodded slightly to her.

________________________________________  
The throne room was a bustle of activity as Aliah walked down after breakfast. Servants were setting out banners displaying her family crest as well as running around dusting things and setting up the tables that sat in front of the benches where the citizens would sit.

Guards were slowly filing in to stand beside the doors and bailiffs were shuffling papers as they arranged their notes.

She walked into the room, clothed in a deep purple entari and pants, her boots echoing off the stone floor as she went.  
She went over and sat down in her throne, immediately slouching a little and flaring her legs out in comfort. Her advisor Bjorn came walking over to her and bowed before her below on the step.

"My lady." He said simply, "everything is in order and the gates will be opened soon to let the citizens in.

"Very good Bjorn thank you, we won't start until lord Loki is with us." Aliah said as she motioned for him to take his place behind her at the throne.

"As you wish," he answered simply.

Aliah sat there, centering her thoughts on the events before her. Her face became deadly serious and she thought about the justice she would hand down for those who sought it from her. Anyone had the possibility of bringing their grievances to her once a month if they could not settle their problems any other way. She thought about the special notice Bjorn had given her on one case earlier.  
"Bjorn, make sure the…distasteful one will be last." She said quietly.

"My lady." He said simply and shuffled his papers around behind her.

She sat there, lost in her thoughts as she waited for the preparations to end. A cup bearer came and stood silently beside her just then, waiting at her call for refreshment.

________________________________________  
"Alright my lord," celiedh called to him as the door closed. "Let's get started."

Loki walked over to her and nodded.

She sat her bag on the table before them and pulled out a notebook and long tape.

She handed him one end of it and knelt down before him.

Loki stood up straight and placed the one end of it on the inside of his leg, holding it there for her to measure his inseam.

She let the tape fall to the floor and looked at her bag, pulling out a notebook. Loki looked down at her as she opened it. She readied a quill to write down his numbers as he watched her.

Celeidh stopped and looked up at him just then, quickly she grabbed his hand, moving it to a higher spot, just under his jewels. Loki blushed slightly but let out a little 'eheheh,' laugh to her. He was thankful it was his own hand so close to his member and not hers.

"Stand up straight please, look straight ahead." She called.  
Loki cleared his throat and did as he was told.

She scribbled a number in her book and stood up. She held out her hand and he handed over the tape to her again. She walked around him spreading the tape over him at different places, writing down a number she read as she went.  
Finally she put the tape away and flipped through some pages in her book.

"Alright," she said finally. "Preferred colors?" she asked.

"Green, dark green," he answered, adding quickly, "and black, with gold, dark brown is nice too."

"Ok, I can do that, here's some sketches I've done for some court garb for you, tell me what you like," and she showed him some drawing in a book she had made earlier.  
"Oh these are very nice, as long as the colors are as I've asked, any of these are fine. I prefer the long coats with tails, easier to move in you know." He answered.

"No problem my lord," she answered.  
"Any other requests?" she asked.

"No this should be fine; all of these are my style, thank you." He answered.

"As you wish, thank you my lord, that's all I need." She said and bowed quickly before him.  
Celiedh gathered her things and shoved them into her bag before bowing again and walking out the door.  
Loki smiled and adjusted himself before checking his image in the mirror. Seeing it met with his approval, he walked out the door to join Aliah downstairs.

________________________________________

Loki walked into the throne room and saw that everything was a bustle of activity. He looked at Aliah sitting on the throne and smiled watching her sitting there, legs spread wide, a look of pure authority about her. She ruled the room as much as she did that chair at that moment, and he felt a slight jump in his groin that he quickly silenced.

He walked over and stood at the step before her and bowed respectfully.  
"My lady," he said as he smiled up at her.

Aliah smiled down a wicked grin.  
"Welcome to the circus." She said to him and motioned for him to come up.

Loki walked up the step and stood beside her. "Where would you like me my lady?" he said.

Aliah gave him a wicked grin and flashed a wink at him that made him smile back at her, a flash of naughty understanding passing between them.  
Aliah waved her hand and concentrated; the chair grew and expanded to accommodate another seat. In the next instant, Loki watched as his seat dropped down slightly, allowing Aliah's head to be above his.

Loki grinned and looked over at her. "I understand." He said, quickly seeing that he was to be viewed as lower in status than her, making everyone who saw them immediately understand she was in charge.

Aliah winked at him again and settled back in her chair as he sat down beside her, making sure that his head, now that he was seated, was indeed just below hers.

"Bjorn," she called over her shoulder without turning, "let's get this going."

"Yes my lady." Bjorn answered and waved his hand to a guard standing at a door. The guard moved to signal to his superior and word spread around that they were ready.  
Four guards came through the door to her left and stood in front of the dais, separating her from the people who were to come before her.

Outside, the doors flew open and people walked in slowly. Barristers now took their places before their tables and people filed in to the benches sitting down as they found their seats.  
Bjorn waited till everyone was assembled and stepped out before her.

"Come now to this people's court, the lady Aliah sits in judgment, praise her rule!" he called.  
Everyone rose and bowed deeply to her; Aliah nodded back at them and waved her hand at them. "Let us begin." She called.

Slowly groups of people came before her as they were called, pleading their cases and explaining their offenses as they defended their actions at the words of their accusers. Most of the people complained to her respectfully how they had been cheated in some business deal and demanded justice. Others explained how another had wronged them in some way as the others denied it usually.

Aliah listened to them all carefully, asking questions of both sides here and there, letting them air all they had before they bowed and waited for her verdict. After each one she pronounced a judgment, either a fine to be paid in some way or called for a sentence of various lengths in her dungeons depending on the severity of the crime.

Loki listened carefully as he sat beside her, satisfied with her just pronouncements after each one. He noted how she was merciful in most cases. She was not overly harsh and even the people she sentenced to be imprisoned for a time were accepting of their fate, knowing that anywhere else they would have been treated far harsher. No one was sentenced to more than a few months and the people applauded after each verdict as they were either led away or sat back down on the bench, satisfied with the justice they had received.

Finally Aliah looked at the clock on a far wall, it read out 3:30. She crossed one ankle over her other knee and sat there, her fist propped against her jaw holding back a tired look.  
Bjorn stepped from behind her and nodded to her, one last paper in his hand. She nodded back and waited for him to call out the names.

"Come now before her justice, Svala and Eid." A man and a younger woman rose and stood before the tables in front of them. The woman was followed by her parents, who held her shoulders and smiled at her frowning face.  
Aliah saw as the woman's eyes were red and she held back tears as best she could.

Bjorn now read out the offense to the crowd.

"Svala jorundsdottir now accuses Eid ogrunson of rape. Eid, how do you plead to the lady Aliah?"

Aliah sat up straight in her chair and uncrossed her legs. Loki noted her change of posture and mood as everyone sucked in a slight breath and held it at the announcement.  
The room was tense, and shocked faces stared out at her from all around the room.

"I am not guilty of this!" Eid called out, a smug look on his face.  
"Svala, do you have any witnesses?" Aliah called to the woman.

"I do not my lady, just the people who were there before it happened, he waited for me in a dark place when I was alone before he….but I swear to you, he did this, I would not lie about such a thing." She answered.  
"Tell me what happened," Aliah said.

Loki sat there quietly, trying to hide his discomfort at such a heinous charge.

Svala described how she had been walking home late at night from working at the pub. She pointed to Eid as she almost broke down sobbing, describing how he had drank so much he become very drunk, grabbing her violently as she walked around serving customers and tending the place. She told him to stop but he had stood up and grabbed her, forcing a kiss onto her and grabbing her ass, demanding she come upstairs and sleep with him. She demanded he stop and slapped him, this only made him extremely violent and he had begun throwing mugs and insults around the place before he was thrown out.

As she walked home after it closed, he had waited for her and pulled her into a dark alley, attacking her viciously and beating her before finishing with her and leaving her there.  
"Come close to me Svala, show me your wounds." Aliah said.

Svala came forward and was allowed to walk up the step to Aliah; she bowed before her and with tears streaming down her face, shamefully raised up her sleeves to show great bruises all over, some in the shape of large hands that held her down.  
Aliah nodded and stood up; she put her hands on the woman's shoulders looking into her eyes.

"Are you sure it was him? Aliah asked her quietly.

"Yes my lady, I have no doubts, I saw him perfectly even though it was dark, there was enough light by the moons to see him." She answered. "Please, help me." She added pleading with her.  
"I will, stand beside me here, take heart, I will not let him get away if he is guilty. Do you understand? Aliah said.

"Yes my lady," Svala answered, a relieved look on her face as tears streamed down still.

Aliah turned from her and waved her fingers towards the man.  
"Did you do this?" she asked simply.

The spell took effect and the man could no longer lie.

"Fuck that stupid bitch, she shouldn't have denied me!" he replied, immediately turning red at his words. He looked around but he was compelled to speak only the truth. His eyes went wide as he stared at Aliah head on.  
"So you admit it, you were drunk and hurt this girl, just as she says?" Aliah answered, stepping forwards slightly.

"Yeah, and I don't care, why wouldn't any woman want me?" he answered.  
"Guards, seize him" Aliah answered simply.

Suddenly, two guards seized the man on either side and drug him forward before Aliah standing above them.  
"You are guilty of rape, guards, tie him to the wall." Aliah called out.

The man screamed loudly as he was drug to the wall beside the entrance.

"Tear off his clothes." Aliah called. The guards ripped the clothing from him and threw it on the ground.

The crowd gasped a collective breath, many of them calling out various encouragements and calls of approval at her actions.

"I will not allow such crimes in my lands, let it be known, they will not be tolerated, all will be met with this same justice." Aliah called.

The people applauded and called out Aliah's name. Svala's parents bowed deeply before her and cried visible now, she heard them calling out 'thank you my lady!" as they wept.  
A guard came out from offices carrying a large whip with nails attached to the ends and stood before the man

"Flay him alive." Aliah called. The crowd gasped and watched as the guard tore into him, blood immediately flying everywhere as he did.  
The man screamed and writhed as he tried to get away from the pain.

Aliah watched the man, feeling a great joy leap in her heart.

'Yes' she thought, 'feel it all you bastard, you'll take every bit until you die, I won't let any flesh be left on your whole body.'  
Aliah let out a wicked laugh and smiled widely.

Loki watched her and sat back in his chair; he brought a hand up to his mouth and hid a wicked smile, enjoying the justice she had handed out. It brought a joy he had not felt before, and he savored it, tasting the power that was flowing through Aliah, reveling in her face as she watched the man scream and writhe. She was more beautiful at that moment to him, than any other up until then, and he drank in the feeling it gave him. He thought how magnificent she was in her dark power, and he loved it.  
Aliah turned to Svala and looked into her eyes, "do you want to punish him?" she asked.

Svala simply cried, and shook her head indicating a no. Aliah nodded her head in understanding, and motioned for her to go back to her parents. They took her in their arms and comforted her, looking back at Aliah as they bowed low and thanked her profusely.

Aliah now turned to the man dancing and screaming at the end of the whip. She walked over to the guard and took the whip from him, and laid into the tied up man.  
She was unrelenting; she whipped him harder and faster with each pass, tearing the flesh from him across his back and legs. She stopped only to demand he be turned around. The guards complied and forced him to face her, his face covered in tears and sweat and snot.

She lit into him again; tearing his flesh and making the blood fly, reveling in his screams as he cried louder and louder at every lash. The great dragon inside her heart flared to life and drank in the tortured man’s cries and demanded more and more. Aliah greedily fed it all it desired, a feeling of pure joy overtaking her like a massive wave.

Aliah whipped harder and harder, screaming now loudly as she lay into him, her arms screaming at the effort until finally she was sated; her arms too tired to continue, she let the whip drop in her hand and handed it back to the guard.

"Take him to the town square, let everyone see him there. Flay him until he is dead. Let the crows pick his carcass clean." She called.

She turned around and walked back to her seat beside Loki. Sitting down she spread he legs wide and called for her cup. She took a long drink, and breathed deeply, panting slightly as she slaked her thirst, her brow covered in sweat.  
"Is there anything else?" she called as she slammed her cup down, her breath heavy and as she sat there recovering, staring at everyone before her in the hall.

Bjorn stepped from behind her and said a simple, "no my lady."

Bjorn motioned for the court to end and everyone rose and bowed deeply to her, before slowly filing out, their backs never turning to her.

She sat there and watched them all leave, the bloody man was dragged away to the town square and servants came to wash away the blood streaked across the floor and oozing down the wall.  
Loki slowly turned to her and smiled a deep evil smile at her. He felt a deep feeling of respect and lust deep in his soul at that moment that he could not contain, as well as a slight hardness in his member.  
Finally Loki opened his mouth and leaned close to her.

"That was magnificent my lady, I'm starving, care to eat?" he said with a wicked grin.

"Famished." Aliah answered and met his smile with her own.


	14. Chapter 14

Aliah sat at the table with Loki by her side. It was back to normal for everyone around her. The food was excellent as always, the surstromming fragrant from its fermenting, Loki was in a talkative mood and happy. He had been energized by watching her flay the man alive leaving him in a sobbing pile as he was dragged away only to be finished in town. Loki smiled widely as he talked about something, gesturing with his hands and laughing heartily.

Aliah sat there, staring at her fork as she sat quietly eating small bites of the fish that sat untouched on her plate slowly. She felt as if a wound had ripped open in her soul. The man she had flayed had woken up the great dragon inside her and she still felt it calling her. She had whipped him to the failing of her arms, till she no longer could even catch her breath, sweat dripping from her brow and her hands hurting.

And now she sat, in comfort, with her servants around her and a grand meal before her, and Loki, in his happiness, in his ease…with her…and she felt as if she wanted to destroy everything around her. Now that the moment was over and she was no longer out of breath from the lasing, no longer tired from the effort of it dragging her arms down, drying her throat from thirst, she needed more. She could not understand what more she needed, but she was unsettled.

She had felt such joy at making the man dance in a twisted pain tied to the ring on the wall, in front of everyone.

Now she sat here, looking at the fine food, the fine table, the silver cutlery, Loki's smiling face, and she could only sit there, staring at everything before her, and she wanted, no…she needed to get away.

She finally pushed away the plate in front of her, still half full of food and stood up, interrupting Loki in the middle of some happy sentence he was saying.

Loki watched her get up and fell silent, his fork and knife still in his delicate hands.

"Please excuse me," Aliah said staring at the wall ahead. "I am quite full and I need to attend to some things, I will see you later." Aliah said to the wall, and walked out of the dining room.

Loki nodded simply, daring not to say anything as she left. He had only just realized that he had been talking and laughing this whole time while Aliah had said nothing

He looked over at her plate seeing it barely touched, and knew something was wrong, but he could not understand what. She had been so happy, so jubilant as she lashed the man, tearing his flesh, spraying the wall and the guards with his blood, bits of flesh flying everywhere in a display of art, the bright color of his blood like a painting of life itself, and Loki had been mesmerized by her ferocity in that moment.

She had been relentless, Loki saw her again now, working and sweating and screaming a terrifying scream that sent the entire castle into a holy silence. Now that she had sat down, she had said nothing, she had eaten little, and he had missed it. How could he have missed when her mood had switched? Loki was at a loss, and he sat there quietly, staring at his food now, thinking of what he had done wrong or not done right, he could not understand which it was.

'Have I done something?' Loki thought quietly to himself. ' I must have said something wrong, I'm so stupid, how could I have done this? Is she mad at me?'

Loki slowly put his knife and fork down and wiped his mouth with his napkin and stood up. Quietly he walked back to the bedrooms, lost in his thoughts, worried about Aliah, his feet dragging as he walked. He was still deciding if he would seek her out, or hide in his room.

Aliah walked slowly back to her room, staring at her feet. Nothing else came into her view until she was at her door. Slowly she opened it and closed it behind her. She went over to her table before the balcony and sat on the chair looking out. She said nothing; she saw nothing, her eyes far away from the view before her. Lost in her own thoughts, she just sat there, one arm on the edge of the table, unmoving and silent.

She waved her hand to the little bureau on the corner and the little midgardian item she prized sprang into life, playing a song over and over and over.(1)

She sat there and listened as the words thought for her, saving her from thinking on her own dark thoughts. She was tired, so tired, and so terribly used up and dead inside. She still felt the sweat from the lashing in her hair, running down her face and off her nose, under hear breasts and dripping from her chest. She saw the man in front of her, jumping and screaming at her lash, she had felt such joy, such terrible horrible joy and utter release at his agony. His screams egging her on more and more, pushing her muscles to their breaking point, her heart so full of his pain and the lust of it she finally had to stop because she was sure her heart would burst.

She had risen to the peak of a mountain, her body sweaty and spent at the effort of it and now, sitting there, she had no way to come down from that mountain but to jump, and fall all the way, silently to the bottom, landing on the ground and falling into a deep dark hole from the height she had just been at.

Now all she felt was utter despair, utterly destroyed and used up, spent in every measure she had and she was exhausted, from the effort of it. She had nothing more to do but sit there, quietly, slowly feeling a wave of terror seizing her, the withdrawal of adrenaline from her system was like a drug leaving her, alone and empty and used and she had no way to come back to herself save to sit here, in agony and despair.

She slowly slumped over the table moved her hands to her hair, letting the sad music push away the thoughts swirling around her and keeping her from totally breaking down.

She was overwhelmed with emotion, shaking slightly as her muscles jumped and twitched. She thought of Loki, she was unable to not think of him, she desperately tried to push him away in her mind but she couldn't. She sat there, seeing his smiling face, hearing his voice talking so fast and happily at dinner. She saw him, lying before her in the dark, asleep and peaceful in the embrace of her sleep spell. She could have hurt him, she could have ripped his throat out and ate him alive, but she had done nothing more than looked at him and felt a sorrow for him.

She waved a hand and a new sound played, repeating over and over.(2)

As she sat there listening to the music droning over and over, she felt utterly alone and abandoned. She had no one, nothing around her but these stone walls, separating her from everyone and everything in the world.

She sat there quietly, her hands in her hair and stared at the floor as the music droned on and thought of nothing as the tears ran down her face.

Loki walked to his room and sat down in silence for the longest time. He tried to think of how he had angered Aliah. In his mind, he ran over the day's events over and over, trying to find his mistake. He finally decided he couldn't have done anything wrong. He couldn't have angered her; it had to have been the lashing she gave the man. She had enjoyed it so much, in that moments she had been so very violent and alive, and the next moment she was silent, not speaking a word through the meal.

He understood in that very moment that Aliah was incapable of handling it all; she was still searching for something to release the aggression inside her, it was all consuming and the fire that was burning inside her had not yet been quenched.

The understanding of the battle raging inside of her dawned on him of what was wrong and he knew what he could do to help. He prepared himself, but he didn't wait, he had to go to her. He couldn't just sit here if she was in pain and he was prepared to pay whatever price if he could do something for her.

Loki let the knowledge sink into him, he steeled his heart, set a determined look on his face, and walked out his door to her.

Slowly Aliah felt her mind swing around. In place of the emptiness grew a deep abiding hatred. She waved a hand and let the song change again now.(3)

She tasted the bile of it in her mouth, like a bitter pill welling up in her mouth from within her own soul. She felt a spark in her heart ignite, and suddenly she jumped to her feet and smashed the chair against the floor over and over until it splintered into a million pieces flying everywhere as she thrashed and flung it in her hands. She saw the chair leg stump in her hands and destroyed the table, bashing it with the chair leg stump as hard as she could. Once it was destroyed she walked to the nearest stand and destroyed it, kicking and screaming and raging like a wild beast, a loud roar erupting from her mouth filling the halls and rooms as far as she could send her voice.

She ran to the bookcase and tipped it over, kicking books as they flew, she jumped on top of he turned over case and stomped on it until it fell apart under her feet.

She ran from the rubble kicking as she went and threw the nightstand beside her bed against the wall. Her hands were empty somehow and she picked up the stand at her feet now and threw it against the wall again, splintering as it hit, she retrieved it again and slammed it against the wall again and again until there was nothing. She was not sated; she raged and screamed as loud as she could again.

She took a clawed hand and ripped her own robe into shreds upon her. She pulled the curtains from the wall by the rod and used the rod to smash everything it could reach. Finally there was nothing but the bed left and she stood there screaming, bashing the iron curtain rod against the floor over and over and over until it bent and crumpled in her hands, smashing chips of stone from the floor.

She screamed, as loud as any mad god could have ever screamed and then fell to her knees. She stayed there, panting and heaving on all fours upon the floor, her clothing and everything around her destroyed and utterly ruined.

Loki turned the corner from the stairs and heard the sound immediately, the sound of smashing furniture. He ran to Aliah's door and heard her screams, he flew open the door and watched as she destroyed her end table, the room was a shambles, she had made her way from one end of the room to the other in a mad daze and he knew she would not be satisfied until there was nothing left.

He watched her quietly, a mix of wonder and amazement at her zeal and lust for destruction. It was utterly beautiful, just like she had been when she had worked herself into a frenzy whipping the man. Loki also saw how she was obviously suffering, unable to sate her lust and calm herself, she needed to do this, she couldn't calm down. What other outlet had she but this? She had to take her lust out on something, and she had nothing else but the furniture.

Loki couldn't let it continue; he watched her in her tirade and felt a great sadness and lust rise in him for her. He couldn't tear his gaze from her, he wanted her terribly in that moment, but he dare not go to her in her anger. He waited for the right moment, for when she would tire and need something that was not around. He watched her rip her clothes to shreds, her hands nothing more than claws and he felt such a heat rise in him he had no choice but to take off his coat and untie his shirt and cast then aside. Naked from the waist up, he stood there, watching her in her glory and pain.

Finally she screamed so loud the entire place would think she was either being murdered or fucked as hard as he dreamed he was about to do to her. He didn't care what anyone thought; he walked over to her silently as she sat there on her hands and knees.

He knelt down beside her panting form, he thought he could taste her lust and pain, and he let his mind drink it in. he reached out and grabbed her by her arms, pulling her up to him in his arms, embracing her on the floor, the both of them on their knees.

Aliah's eyes went wide, she had not seen or heard him come in, and she didn't want him to see her like this. She would have turned red if she hadn't already been red from her fit.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded, "get out, leave me be! Can't you see?" she raged. She tried to fight away from his embrace but she was too tired, her arms refused to respond.

Loki held her tightly in his grip and forced her to face him," look at me, Aliah, be still! Don't fight me, I feel your pain, let me sate the lust inside you that you cannot," he said.

And at that, he forced his mouth onto hers. Loki's mouth was hard and his kisses wet upon her, she didn't push him away, she was too tired, he knew she was too tired, he also knew she needed this, and he was going to give it to her.

Loki held her tighter and opened his mouth wide, forcing his tongue into her mouth, swirling his tongue around hers. They stayed there on their knees as he kissed her; Loki refusing to let her once again be denied any pleasure of her own.

He knew she needed this, needed for once to be dominated, Loki had dreamed of fucking her for so long, she had never allowed him to yet as she had always dominated him and he had let her. He enjoyed it, she was a tiger, and he let her have him any way she wanted. Now though, she needed another kind of outlet, every pore in her body screamed out for release, and only he could relieve her lust and satisfy her thirst.

He forced her down to the floor, holding her arms above her head as he lie on top of her.

"Let me satisfy your hunger." Loki whispered in her ear.

Aliah felt something snap inside her and she no longer raged inside. Now instead of rage she felt a great white hot lust burning inside her, consuming her that she could no longer contain.

"Gods Loki, fuck me hard." She pleaded.

Loki felt her resistance to him evaporate and at her words he let her arms go. Reaching his hands down he ripped and clawed at her destroyed clothes until she was naked before him, he sat up just long enough to untie his pants. Sliding them off him turned back to Aliah, burying his face in her neck, licking and sucking and dragging his teeth as he went. His cock was so hard for her, dripping and weeping already and he ground it into her leg as he went, thrusting his hips into her to let her feel his hardness.

Aliah moaned loudly and brought her hands up to his back, dragging her nails down him leaving great deep marks. Her claws upon him sent his mind reeling, he wanted her so badly, he wanted her to claw his flesh from him, her magnificent violent spirit had made him so hard all day, he could barely hold himself back from exploding right there.

Loki growled a deep growl and pressed her down to the floor harder.

"Yes, that's it, moan for me." He called in his heat.

He moved his lips down and cupped her breast, pinching and sucking her nipples hard and fast.

Aliah moaned louder and louder, calling him like a sinful prayer, making him hotter and harder with every one.

"FUCK ME LOKI!" Aliah pleaded.

Loki couldn't hold back when he heard her calling out for him, he knocked her legs apart with his knee and slid between her legs. He held his cock and drug it over her doorway up to her clit. He felt how wet she was immediately, she was dripping wet in her need for him.

Loki let out a low moan as he registered how wet she was and pushed into her. He leaned over top of her and placed his hands on the ground beside her head and buried his hips deep into her. He plunged into her over and over, unable to stop, fucking her faster and faster.

"FUCK YES! LOKI HARDER, FUCK ME HARDER LOKI" Aliah screamed.

"OH GOD YES." Loki called

Loki leaned back on his knees and grabbed Aliah's hips, dragging her hips up to him and fucked her deeper, his knees screaming from the hard stone floor.

Aliah could do nothing but let Loki fuck her senseless, giving into him totally.

He was unrelenting, great beads of sweat ran down his face and splashed onto her body from his pounding.

He watched her face, making sure he stayed in control just barely enough to get her off. He refused the screaming need in his being to cum deep inside her until she came first.

"Cum for me my darling, let me feel your guilty sin." Loki called.

Aliah heard him and looked up into his eyes, his mouth open wide in lust, thrusting into her over and over, pounding as hard as he could.

Aliah's eyes rolled up and she threw her head back, screaming loudly as she fell over the edge, cumming in great spasms that wracked her body.

Loki felt her release as her orgasm overtook her, her tunnel squeezed and shuddered, sending him over the edge with her, cumming in loud gasps and cries of release with each other.

Loki could do nothing but cry out and give her every drop as her tunnel milked him for every last drop. His member finally spent, he leaned over and fell onto her, breathing great gasps as he lie on her breast.

They lie there together panting and gasping, still grinding their hips into each other, savoring every last spasm.

Loki finally looked up at Aliah and kissed and sucked her breasts gently, running his tongue over her nipples.

He gently moved himself deep inside Aliah and ever so slowly, slid his member out of her. They both gasped as he went, both spent to the core, but the feeling still enflamed them.

He gently came out of her and falling beside her, rolled onto his back and pulled her to him, cradling her in his arms. He kissed her forehead and cheeks and ran his hands down her back caressing her gently.

Finally Loki buried his hand in her hair and held her tight, their bodies covered in sweat and sex.

"Be still now my darling." Loki called to her.

Aliah heard his words and felt herself slip away somewhere she had never been to. She wrapped her arms around Loki and held him as tight as he was holding her.

Loki and Aliah lie there on the floor, holding onto one another; two lost and abandoned souls each realizing what they had found in the other.

Aliah looked up into Loki's eyes to see her tears met with his. Loki looked down and stared back, he forced her up to him and their kiss mixed with their tears and saliva.

She pulled away from him slightly, "Loki…" she said before he cut her off with quiet shushing sounds.

"It's alright now." He said.

Loki moved slightly and let her go; only long enough to kneel down and pick her up, carrying her carefully to the bed and laid her up its destroyed sheets.

Aliah looked around now and saw the entire room had been utterly destroyed.

"Oh, Loki, I'm so …I'm…sorry….that you saw that." She said quietly.

"You never have to apologize. I could see your need; I wanted to do this for you. I'm so glad you let me." He answered. "I will always be here if you need anything." He added.

Aliah smiled at him and hugged him close, her touch and happy satisfied mood bringing Loki to a wonderful feeling, a great smile on his face now as well.

Aliah felt a great joy inside at his words and touch, even now Loki was so kind, so tender to her, just when anyone else would have thought they had bought the right to be as they pleased, Loki continued to be, a prince to her.

Loki laid down beside her and refused to let her go for the longest time. their hearts beating as one, silent in each others embrace for ages.

"I think now handsome, I am truly hungry." Aliah finally said.

Loki gently laughed and it made Aliah laugh as well. Finally, they laughed together and held each other close.

"My lady, let us find you something to eat" Loki said quietly. Aliah simply nodded, as Loki rose to his feet and extended his hand to help her up, which she gladly accepted. Aliah smoothed down her robes and took Loki's hand firmly in her own before walking down the hall towards the kitchens below.  
======================================================================================================================================================

music from midgard selections.

1\. Matchbox 20's-push

2 .Don't dream its over-crowded house

3 .Sabaton-carolus rex


	15. Chapter 15

Loki sat quietly as Aliah devoured the food in front of her. He watched as she speared the innocent food in front of her onto her fork and proceeded to shove them as fast as she could into her mouth, barely chewing before she swallowed.

Finally she sat back in her chair. As if she had conquered an enemy on the battlefield and wiped her face with her napkin. Shoving out a shaky arm, she clutched a wine goblet and drained it down as fast as she could. She sat the cup back down and closed her eyes, leaning back in her chair and let her head rest on the back, a contented smile finally on her face.

Loki stared at her knowing she was exhausted, waiting for the inevitable to happen. It didn't take long and Aliah's head quickly lolled to one side as she fell asleep sitting up.

Loki smiled and chuckled to himself quietly. He reached down and picked up his chair to slide it from the table. Quietly, carefully, he reached down and took her into his arms. Settling her head on his shoulder, Loki slowly walked back to his room and laid her carefully on his bed.  
________________________________________  
Carefully, Loki slid off her boots and covered her with a blanket before undressing and sliding in beside her. He spooned himself around her back and kissed her shoulders before falling asleep with her.  
________________________________________  
Aliah awoke the next morning to stiff muscles and a sore throat. She laid there with her eyes closed willing sleep to take her again but it refused. She finally opened her eyes and looked around.

She knew instantly that she wasn't in her room, she rubbed her eyes carefully, trying to clear her head to understand where she was, a vague fuzzy feeling engulfed her being and she found she was unable to think clearly. She carefully looked around and saw Loki siting at the small table before the balcony quietly reading a book as he sipped a cup of breakfast tea.

She understood finally she was in his room. He must have carried her after dinner and put her to bed. She laid there quietly watching him read, his long legs crossed in a delicate fashion, long slender fingers holding the book so elegantly. He was a vision of elegance and grace before her eyes, his gentle movements brought a peace to her soul and she drank in the sight for the longest time of his beauty.

Finally, after a time, Loki glanced over towards her and took a double take once it registered that she was watching him. His face lit up in an amused smile and he sat his book aside to stand and walk over to her.  
"My lady," he called as he knelt down before her at the bed, "did you sleep well?" he asked.

"YeS tHANk You." She wheezed out in a frog like croak.

Alias eyes went wide as she realized her voice was as destroyed as her room a few floors above. She reached her hand up to her throat and rubbed it gently, wincing from the pain.  
"eheheheh," Loki giggled quickly; he could not contain the laughter as much as he tried.

"I'm so sorry my lady, but I really expected nothing less after your (ehehe)…uhm..conquest yesterday. Can I get you anything?" he asked a wide smile of compassion beaming from him.  
Aliah sat up and tried to frown at him in disapproval but instead she found herself smiling widely at him as he knelt there before her, his hand outstretched to help her up.  
She stood up and they embraced briefly, Loki smiling wickedly into her eyes as she released him.

She smirked at him and motioned for something to write on.  
Loki opened a small drawer in his writing table and took out some paper and a quill. Handing it to her they sat down at the table and he poured her a cup of tea as she wrote to him.  
*breakfast?* Aliah wrote to him.

Loki let out a wide smile at her dilemma; he simply couldn't resist teasing her.  
"What's wrong my lady? Cat got your tongue?" he teased.

Aliah frowned at him and narrowed her eyes before the smile escaped her face letting Loki know she was amused at his attempt to make her smile.  
*I will get you if you keep this up* she wrote.

"Oh I do so hope so, would you like a repeat of my performance yesterday perhaps?" he whispered in a wicked tone.  
*let me recover you evil man* she wrote to his delight.

"Yes ma'am." Loki answered evilly; taking her hand he kissed it gently and then walked to pull the cord for the servant.  
He sat back down and picked up his book and continued reading as they waited.

*I'll make a potion after breakfast* she wrote.

Loki nodded his agreement and then cleared his throat.

"I was also thinking, perhaps we should call for something to be done about a certain room requiring redecorating?" he said with a smile.  
Aliah smiled weakly and blushed slightly, staring down at her paper and pen as he spoke.

*yes of course* she wrote.

 

"Perhaps this would give us a chance to decorate the chambers in a more… fitting manner for us both?" he said carefully.  
Aliah raised her eyebrow and stared at him, he was trying very hard to be nonchalant and he looked at her from over his book cautiously.  
Aliah looked around his room and shot him a questioning look when she finished.

"Oh no, I do like this room, very much, I was just…" he stammered. " it's just that…I would prefer to not leave your side…if possible." He added carefully.  
Aliah saw his hesitation, she felt him desperately try to hide his shyness and his fear that she would find him desperate.  
She sat back in her chair and raised her hand to her mouth, sitting there quietly debating with herself.

Loki took her actions to mean she was considering his words.

He knew how he felt, she was an ocean of emotion and zeal and he felt alive in her presence. Her lust and emotions were magnificent to him, he was smitten with how she carried herself, how she sat, the way she looked when she slept and he hungered for the look of fire in her eyes when she was mad or full of lust. 

Loki had decided that he couldn't bear to be banished to this room without her. He had decided that he would refuse to try and sleep without her beside him anymore, he couldn't fathom his bed empty any longer and he decided to be bold and plead his case to her a bit more.

 

Getting up from his chair he kneeled before her, reaching for her hand he tenderly held it in his own and looked up into her eyes.  
"Please," he said simply, "I don't wish to be away from you, let me be here for you my lady, you may destroy as many things as you wish and I would gladly let you, just let me be here for you from now on." Loki said.  
Aliah was truly touched at his words. No one before had ever asked such a thing, she had chained many men to her bed, silencing their words, forcing them to do many things but they had always gladly retreated to their own rooms to escape her for a time. Never had any of them ever wanted more of her moods, and never were they as sincere as when Loki spoke to her. Loki had no fear of her at all in his heart, she felt his longing and she remembered how alive he had been as he watched her whip the man.

His face had been full of lust and admiration after she had lashed him and she understood his longing. He had enjoyed it as much as she had, he wasn't repulsed by her dark moods rather, as she understood in that moment, that he felt the same inside.  
Aliah reached down and kissed him passionately, cupping his cheek in her hands afterwards and running her thumb down his jaw. She felt the shiver it sent through him and it made her smile. She nodded simply to him and Loki let a smile caress his face.  
"Can I pick the colors?" he said with a smile.

Aliah rolled her eyes, understanding his need to control this bit of his world, he did have an eye for fashion that made more sense, now that she knew about his gift. She smiled back at him now, nodding once again his way.  
Loki smiled a self-satisfied look and let out a simple, "ah this will be fun."

Aliah took her quill again and wrote a simply * tell the servant to meet you, do it today*

Loki nodded to her with a gleam in his eye as the door swung open for the servant lady to bring them a tray of food.  
"Ah thank you, I shall need some assistance in my lady's chambers after breakfast, we have a bit of work to do." Loki said to the lady.  
The servant glanced at Aliah for permission and Aliah nodded her way, waving her hand towards Loki bestowing her acceptance his way.  
*follow his wish* she wrote simply and showed it to the servant lady.

The servant had a questioning look on her face but Aliah simply put her hand on her throat and looked at her.  
"Ah, I understand my lady, as you wish." She said simply and retreated from the room.

Loki and Aliah smiled at each other and quietly ate their small breakfast together, both staring out the balcony enjoying the early morning sun.  
Finally Aliah and Loki finished up the food and stood up from the table.

Aliah took her quill again and wrote a simple, *potion, then work, make our room glorious, meet me after*  
Loki placed his hand on his heart and bowed carefully before her.

"Of course my lady." He said to her. As he came up, he looked at her smiling face and searched her eyes. Suddenly he reached out and took her in his arms, dipping her to the side he planted a deep kiss on her lips, savoring her lips and sucking her bottom lip into his mouth. He opened his eyes and stared deeply into hers, a smile on his face so wide the laugh lines beside his eyes started to pop out.  
Aliah smiled deeply at him and ran her hands through his hair, as he let her back up she tweaked his chin and winked at him.  
Waving briefly to each other Aliah walked out to the hall heading for her magic study.

Loki turned around and headed to his wardrobe, a huge satisfied smile on his face. He quickly changed into some clothes for the day instead of his silk robe. Sliding on his boots he made sure his hair was perfect and walked out towards their soon to be new rooms to direct the cleanup and new décor, his smile turning in a grin at the knowledge he wouldn't have to be alone at night any more.  
________________________________________  
Aliah walked up to the magic study and flew open the door. Walking over she checked all the bottles and pots of potions looking for something for her throat. 

She saw nothing to her dismay, and frowned slightly. Reaching for a book on cures she found a spell and gathered the necessary ingredients.

As soon as the concoction was boiling she emptied the contents of the pot into the amblic and watched it bubble up and condense in the tube at the top, dripping down small drops into a waiting bottle.  
She got up and walked back to the shelf stacked with books, searching until she found an old dusty book that was in desperate need of repair. Opening the pages carefully she found the spell she wanted and studied it carefully.  
Reading as she went, she practiced the energy flow patterns and imagined a goal in her mind.

Concentrating hard, she waved her three fingers and recited the chant. A tingling came to her groin and a white hot heat flashed inside her being. Immediately she felt the spell take effect. She stood there quietly, shifting her legs back and forth, trying to get used to the feel of the new addition to her pants.

'Oh this is so wrong' she thought as a wicked smile crossed her face.  
She pulled back her entari and slipped a thumb into her waistband, stretching open her pants and stared down at herself. She looked up quickly to make sure the door was closed and seeing that it was, she looked back into her pants again, staring in wonder at the new appendage.

Sliding her hand in, she felt around, grabbing her new shaft and running a hand down to gently cup her new jewels.  
It was an entirely new feeling, one she found very odd and very pleasurable.  
'Why the hell haven't I done this sooner?' she thought.

She thought about Loki and wondered what his reaction would be when he saw her like this. Immediately she felt a rush of blood and her member responded in her hands.  
She couldn't help but to stroke it as it hardened, and she was pleased at the size that greeted her. She immediately thought of his virgin gift and decided it would be better if the though was pushed aside right now, before she got too caught up in imagining how much she would enjoy sliding into him.

She took her hand away quickly before things got out of control and slid her clothes back into position. Taking a deep breath she composed herself, her member starting to throb at the pleasurable thoughts.  
She concentrated and waved her hand as nothing happened.

ALIAH PANICKED.

'OH FUCK no…no…!'

She tried again, concentrating and seeing the incantation in her head. Waving her hand she waited for the reversal to happen and finally, nothing.  
'OH FUCK ME!' she thought….and immediately calmed herself as best she could

'Okay, this is happening because it's aroused….nothing to get worried about, I'll just sit down and tend to the potion, once it's done I'll get my voice back and I can deal with this once its back to normal size. Nothing to worry about, it's just not going to work if it's…excited.' She thought

She sat down and watched the potion dripping into the bottle with intense concentration, anything to distract herself from the thoughts in her head and the throbbing in her pants.  
'Oh gods, this is hard to think with this thing in my pants,' she thought. She decided to not have such a small opinion of the problems men had to walk around with daily. If she had to have a visible exhibition of how she felt all the time she knew she would be in deep embarrassment every other hour.

Slowly she regained control and focused her thoughts on the work piling up down in her offices far below her.

She thought about the miner revolt and weighed the pros and cons of raising the wages for the miners while offsetting the losses by raising the export taxes. If she could also raise the price of the larimar at the market side, the small rise in price could easily be born out in the market without too much fuss and profits could be raised by as much as 25% she thought.

She looked over and the amblic stopped dripping concentrated droplets as the potion ran out.

She reached over and turned off the small flame, examining the potion carefully. She let it cool slightly by blowing on it before drinking it down, letting it coat her throat entirely. It tingled as it went down, soothing her destroyed vocal cords as it washed down her throat.

Immediately feeling better, she opened her mouth and spoke out a short, "testing, I feel better."

Feeling her throat not complain and her voice back to normal, she let out a sigh of relief. Noticing her other problem had receded; she concentrated on the incantation again and waved her hands.  
Nothing happened. A terror seized her as she tried to be as calm as possible.  
'ok I must have missed something, let's think this through.' She thought.

She walked back to the book and examined the details again.  
She read them over twice and finally noticed a small notation after the last word in the paragraph.

She looked closer and moved her eyes down to the bottom of the page where she read,  
*it is impossible to reverse the spell once cast, for at least 24 hours.

'FUCK….FUCK…..OH FUCK ME, SHIT BOLLOCKS!"

Aliah looked around and tried to compose herself. Running a hand through her hair she tried to think of what to do next.  
"Oh I am so fucked." She said out loud.

There was nothing else to do, she smoothed her clothes, adjusted her package, and made sure her entari was long enough to cover her crotch. Waving her fingers, she adjusted her underwear to accommodate the new contents and keep everything steady, and then walked down to her offices, glad at least for the fact that she was used to walking with such a manly gate.

________________________________________  
Loki walked into the remains of the destroyed bedroom and surveyed the damage.

"Well, she's thorough at least." Loki thought.

Just then four servant men walked into the wreckage and bowed before him, their eyes wide as they took in the scene of carnage.

Loki turned to them and cleared his throat," ahem, well as you can see our lady has decided to…redecorate. Once you get this cleaned up we will need all new furnishings, I need one of you to help me with furnishings while the rest of you get started." He said.  
They all bowed again and got to work, one of the men stepped forward towards him and bowed again.

"My lord," he said, "if you'll follow me, we will go select the items you need."  
Loki nodded and waved the man to lead on. They walked down the hall quietly to a small door, as the man opened it Loki stepped into a large storage room full of rows of tables and comfortable looking chairs. The room also contained a wide selection of end tables and neat piles of clean curtains and bedspreads, all in different colors.

"Ah this will do nicely." Loki said and walked around inspecting all the furnishings as he went.

________________________________________  
A few hours later Loki and the servants surveyed the master bedroom before them.

Everything was clean and in its place again with beautiful new drapes in a bright emerald green. New end tables and chairs looked back at them that were ornately carved and shining from the polish. The bed was back in its place with black sheets and pillows of matching black satin.

Every available surface was carved with beautiful vines and flowers and covered in gold leaf. Two wardrobes stood side by side and two bookcases now stood beside each other, one full to the brim and one mostly empty containing his entire collection on only one shelf.

A beautiful new mahogany table stood before the balcony with a large vase of flowers atop it awaiting her arrival.

"Thank you gentlemen that will be all." Loki said as he dropped his bag onto the bed and unpacked his things, putting them away as he went.  
The servants bowed and walked out, closing the door behind them.

Once his things were hung up, he turned around and smiled, content in the knowledge that he was now firmly entrenched in the same room as Aliah, the beautiful woman who fascinated him so much.  
'She should enjoy the things I picked out, thank the gods she's not boring.' He thought, smiling as he surveyed his decorating choices, finally he turned to go meet her downstairs.

________________________________________  
Walking was a new experience with the new addition.

'How do they walk with all this banging about in there?' she thought. Cursing her lack of reading all instructions thoroughly, she resolved to make sure to never make this beginners mistake again, and walked into her offices as confidently as possible.  
Bjorn was waiting for her as she quickly walked in and sat down as soon as possible.

"Ah my lady," he said as she sat down and winced, quickly regaining her calm demeanor she spread out in the chair and looked relieved.  
"Um, (don't ask, none of my business,) ah yes my lady, I have a report here on the miners rebellion for you." He said quickly deciding to not ask any questions.  
Aliah gratefully took the paper from him and read the words quietly.

Bjorn sat down in the chair across from her and waited for her to finish reading.

"So," Aliah finally said, "things are still the same with the rebellion and the overseers are now complaining about the losses mounting every day correct?" Aliah asked.  
"Yes my lady, I suggest we have no options except to meet with the leaders in person and resolve this as quickly as possible?" Bjorn stated.

"I agree, there's no other way, once we are there we can force them into talks and get profits flowing again, I was also thinking, we can recoup the losses of paying the workers more if we simply raise the export taxes by a marginal amount as well as raise the price at the endpoint." She stated.

Bjorn nodded his approval, " I agree, a slight increase will make no difference but will add up to a substantial profit, this could actually be better for us in the end after all." He said.  
'yes, I know.' Aliah thought quietly as she smiled to herself.

"Very good my lady," Bjorn said, " I will make the arrangements for your travel there tomorrow." He said as he stood and bowed, finally turning and walking out the door.  
Aliah sat in her chair and adjusted herself, sitting was no better than walking it seemed.

"BY GODS HOW DO THEY DEAL WITH THIS?' she thought.  
Finally she slung her leg over the arm of the chair and breathed a sigh of relief.

She pulled the cord beside the desk and rang for a servant.  
The manservant entered the door and bowed politely towards her.  
"My lady, how may I serve you?" he asked.

"Tea if you please, oh and, send in Celeidh if you will." She stated.  
He bowed and stepped out, leaving Aliah to her thoughts.

She looked around and for the first time saw nothing before her. No papers greeted her gaze, no other reports or incidents were around to deal with and she sighed in relief to herself.  
She waved her hands and a log book appeared. She flipped through the pages and scanned through the words written before her.

Inside the book was a long list of holdings of magical artifacts or treasures she owned, which storage room or secured vault they were contained in, and what magical properties they exhibited.  
A long list stretched out on the page, listing various magical items such as the first entry, detailing how one stone healed the holder of any sickness if placed in the mouth, located in the second great room vault, won in battle by her grandfather from a neighboring lord.

She searched through the list carefully noting every entry. As she flipped through the pages the door opened again and the servant came in with a large tray of tea as well as smorbrod and other items for lunch, followed closely by Celeidh the tailor.  
"Ah thank you Slode, I did not realize it was lunch already, that will be all for now." She said.

He bowed as he left, just as Celeidh came forward and bowed as well.  
"My lady, you sent for me?" she asked.

"Yes, Celeidh, I just wanted to find out how goes the new garb for Loki?"

"Very well my lady, I will have mock ups ready for him to try on by tomorrow if it please you." She answered.

"Ah yes, we will be going on a little expedition tomorrow to take care of some business, we should return the next day however and you can continue with your work then. I also wanted to thank you for your excellent connections in dealing with the problems I've had from the mines recently. As always, your information network has shown me how to profit from unrest and I will be giving you a bonus as soon as this deal goes through." Aliah stated coolly.

"Of course my lady, the tailor's guild is, as always, at your service." Celeidh answered matter-of-factly as she bowed.  
Aliah smirked, "I really am glad you're on my side my dear, I think you have to be the deadliest woman in this kingdom, besides myself of course. I do hope you'll find the bonus to your satisfaction. Thank you again, I will let you know when we return to finish lord Loki's garments." She stated.

Celeidh bowed deeply and thanked her as she turned to walk back to her work.

"Oh Celeidh, I almost forgot, would you happen to know of any, certain relics that might be of use to me nearby?" Aliah asked.  
"What kind are you in the market for?" Celeidh asked.

"Anything of the Jotun persuasion." Aliah answered.

"Of course my lady, I do believe that I can procure certain items for a price." She answered.  
"Anything available that might have magical qualities?" Aliah asked.

"I will compile a list for you with prices and deliver it to you personally." Celeidh answered.

"That would be wonderful, I know I can rely on your discretion of course." Aliah answered.  
"Of course my lady, it's what I do best." She answered as she bowed and left.

Aliah returned to her book and continued to scan the list of items she owned.

She finally put it aside and got up to pour a cup of tea and make a plate of food.  
The door opened behind her and she turned to see loki's smiling face walking in.

"Ah my lady!" Loki said to her, “I do believe you will be ever so glad you decided to redecorate." He said to her.  
"Ah, well I'm so glad you enjoyed redecorating for me. I trust I will approve of your skills?" she asked with a smirk.

"Ah yes indeed, a far more royal bedroom awaits your pleasures my lady, I have impeccable taste of course as you know." Loki stated smugly.  
"Ah yes, I have no doubts." She answered with a smile.

Pouring a cup of tea for Loki, Aliah started, "I have some business to attend to tomorrow my dear, so I'll be gone for a day or so, while I'm gone..."  
"Oh no," Loki said cutting her off. 

"You're not going without me, I simply won't miss an opportunity to go out and have some fun with you." Loki said.  
"Loki, it could be dangerous…"

"Oh excellent, finally some adventure." He stated with a wide grin.

Aliah just looked at him as she placed the cup of tea before him.

"I know there's no way I can stop you, you'll probably just turn into a horse or something and go along anyway wouldn't you?" Aliah said with a smirk.  
"Oh my lady, you do know me so well!" Loki stated with a grin.

She sat down and sipped her tea as she watched him from above the rim of her cup. Loki's glee was plastered onto his face as he sipped his tea while staring back at her.  
Aliah finally shook her head and grinned, saying a quick, "fine, you can come along, as long as you promise you'll stay right beside me, never know what could go wrong in these situations you know." She stated.  
"Oh pity," Loki said, " I was hoping to be your horse." He stated wickedly.

"Oh you would" she answered with a grin.  
________________________________________  
After lunch Loki turned to Aliah and grinned wildly.

"So, care to inspect my work my lady?" he asked.

"Sure, why not." Aliah answered. "don't seem to have anything else to do right now, lead on."

Loki grabbed her hand and led her back to her room, smiling brightly. She was thankful her underwear held everything in place as she desperately tried to walk without a hint of the discomfort in her pants.  
As they reached the door, Loki bounded ahead and threw it open for her to enter.

"Ta da!" Loki said with glee.

Looking around it was very tasteful and elegant indeed. It was also all black and green whenever possible and his penchant for gold leaf was evident.  
"Well you certainly have a distinct style" she answered slowly.

"Oh, do tell me you don't find this ever so much more elegant than before." Loki answered.

"Yes, I admit, it's very nice, more candles as well, very romantic of you." She answered with a wink.  
"Of course, all the better to see you with my dear." Loki teased.

"I've created a monster." Aliah stated.

"Oh, but I don't think you'd complain if I let my monster out." Loki grinned.

"Settle down you, don't you have studying to do or something?" she asked.

"Ah yes, excellent point, I do think we should have another round of training don't you think?" Loki asked.  
"Ah, well fine, let's go upstairs and see what we can do shall we?" Aliah asked.

"Ah well, we could just stay here and see what we can do as well." Loki answered as he took a step closer, a hungry look showing on his face now.  
"Settle down tiger," Aliah said as she fought to keep her own monster from waking up.

"Oh, my lady why do you deny me so? " he said with a grin. "you can't tell me you don't long for my expertise again after last night." He said as he reached out and tried to envelop her in his arms.  
Aliah ducked away quickly, before he could grab her, and turned on her heel heading for the door.

"Oh no you don't, come on you, let's go practice some more." She stated quickly before the conversation woke up her member.  
"Fine," Loki finally relented, turning to follow her upstairs at last.

________________________________________  
Aliah entered the door and walked to the bookshelf, searching through the holdings on the shelves. Behind her she heard a slight snicker and turned to see Loki staring at the open book she had forgotten to close.

"What this?" Loki asked with a wide evil grin. "and here I thought you were simply up here making potions for your poor throat, when in reality, you were simply planning something special it seems."

Aliah cursed her forgetfulness and cleared her face, she couldn't let him see the panic she felt just then.

"Cut it out Loki," she stated calmly. "I'm not planning on deflowering you yet." She lied.

"Oh? And why not?" Loki pried, as he slowly stepped closer to Aliah. 

Aliah slid a very nonchalant look onto her face as Loki slid up beside her and carefully lowered his head towards her ear, ever so slightly.  
"Do you think I haven't thought about it from the moment I saw you?" he whispered to her.

"I'm sorry, what?" Aliah asked, eyes wide in confusion.

"Oh you heard me." Loki said to her, taking her shoulders into his hands and staring deeply into her eyes. "I've dreamed of it for quite some time," Loki said in a sultry tone. "and by the looks of it, so have you." He stated, as he leaned down to kiss her neck gently, adding "ever since you found out about my gift."

Aliah's eyes went wide and she felt her member jump to life.

Loki chuckled quietly at her quick inhale of breath. Aliah made sure to pull away so as to not rub against him.

"You're awfully bold today." Aliah said as calmly as possible. "why don't you channel all that energy into producing something besides a shape changing spell?" she added.  
"I think your changing the subject my lady." Loki answered. "I wonder if it could be because you're using a spell that doesn't wear off for 24 hours hummm?"

Aliah had nothing. All she could do was look at him, standing there, smirking at her, knowing her not so little secret at that exact moment. She desperately fought the rising blush in her face she could feel creeping up on her.  
"Cut it out you," she finally said. "you'd like it too much, besides what makes you think I would do such a thing to you?" she stated.

"You can try and hide from me all you want," he said, "but the bulge in your pants tells me exactly what you really want." Loki teased as he whispered into her ear.  
“Fuck!” Aliah thought to herself. She felt her face flush red hot now as she realized Loki had either seen or felt the package she held.

She heard him chuckle evilly as he clearly saw her face turn to a bright shade of maroon.

"Oh don't be shy my lady," he continued, "I've wanted this moment for so long, don't you see?" he said as he ran his lips over her neck.  
Aliah was frozen to the spot, she looked around the room searching for some way to get out of this embarrassment but found nothing, and her brain slowly shut down as the blood flowed into her member and took away her ability to think.  
Slowly Loki moved his hands down her body, caressing her in his elegant gentle fingers.

"This , ah…really isn't the place for this." She stumbled quietly.

"Oh I think this is the perfect place for this right now." He answered.

"I'm not really…ah…really your first time shouldn't …" she stumbled

"Oh I wasn't meaning that," Loki whispered as he knelt down before her, "that's later, right now you need something to help prepare you for …later" Loki quietly teased as he slid his hands down her stomach and finally to the bulge arching out of her pants.  
Aliah sucked in a deep gasp of air as Loki gently stroked her cock, her thin pants letting her feel every delectable movement from his fingers as they glided over her member.

"Oh, sensitive are we?" he teased as he slid her pants down in front, exposing her hard member.

"Ahhhh!" Aliah breathed, leaning against the table as she tried desperately to not feel embarrassed.

"Oh, you are tense, my lady, it's so hard to control isn't it? Especially if you haven't had to live with it all your life is it?" he teased.

She nodded her head, feeling his breath as he spoke blowing on her erect cock.

"let me help." Loki said simply as he ran his tongue down her shaft.

Electric jolts ran through her as his tongue caressed her, almost immediately her knees threatened to buckle under her.

Loki noticed her legs almost give out, reaching up he grabbed Aliah by the waist and lifted her onto the edge of the table before kneeling down again and returning to his task.  
Loki ran his tongue across Aliah's shaft, gently caressing her entire length as she moaned softly.

Loki gently squeezed and sucked along her before he couldn't take it anymore. With a wide grin he looked up to see Aliah's mouth thrown open wide enjoying his mouth upon her.  
He waited no longer, he plunged his mouth onto her erect cock and sucked and licked her deep into his throat.

Aliah threw her head back as her hands buried into his hair, forcing him down on her harder and harder. She couldn't stop herself from forcing him down onto her over and over, she felt a heat rise deep within her and she couldn't refuse the feeling any longer. She felt herself tumble over the edge and she screamed a loud guttural moan as she erupted in his mouth. Loki sucked her down in time to her throbs of release, drinking her essence in great gulps down his throat.  
Loki waited for her to finish and gently kissed and licked her a few more times before releasing her to gently hitch his thumb in her pants to replace her package snugly back into their jail of cloth.  
He rose up from his knees and wrapped his arms around her holding her tightly in a warm embrace.

"Ah, that's better now isn't it my lady?" Loki smiled.

Aliah could only nod her head to him in agreement, her mouth still open from her pleasure.  
Loki giggled a small, "eheh" to her as he kissed her gently.

Slowly, Aliah regained the ability to think and speak and composed herself. Squeezing him back finally she hopped off the table and smiled at him.  
"Ahem, well my talented one, why don't you show me how far you can project a force field?"

"Ah, all work, work, work," Loki grinned as he threw a wink her way. He pushed aside the thought of what tonight would bring, before it brought his own member to life, before he could entertain such thoughts, it was time to practice.


	16. Chapter 16

"Again," Aliah droned for the fifth time in a row.

Loki stood there, quietly gasping for air, and stared down at the floor. Slowly his jaw slid forward and raised his eyes to stare at her. The look did not escape Aliah’s eyes, and as much as his infuriated face sent an electric jolt through her, she refused to let that thought be known to him.

"This is maddening," Loki stated through his teeth, "I am doing the best I can here."

"Do better," Aliah said as she leveled a dark stare towards him. She had been sitting in the chair for two hours now, leg thrown over the arm for comfort and to prevent another horrid pinching incident. She was slowly getting more comfortable with the new equipment still hanging around in her pants.

Loki just sighed and rubbed a hand over his temples to relieve the pressure building behind his eyes.

"Fine," he said, slowly, as if the weight of the world were now upon his head.

"I know this is hard," Aliah stated more tenderly now, rising from the chair as she did. She reached over and put her hands on his shoulders. "But I need to make sure you'll be safe if anything happens tomorrow. We can't have the possible future king being maimed okay?" she asked.

"I know, just… give me a minute." Loki answered finally with a slight frown. He turned slowly on his heel and sat down in the chair to his side, his hand automatically coming up to rest on his chin.  
"Yes I agree, a break would be nice, I'll bring us some refreshment." Aliah said as she cupped his cheek in her hand.

"Thank you, that would be most welcome." Loki answered. 

And with that, he twisted in his seat and spread his legs wide, throwing his head back to rest on the wall behind him.  
________________________________________  
Aliah walked out the door and down the stairs towards the nearest servant station. As she walked down the hall a thought occurred to her.

'Oh, he would enjoy that…oh what's it going to hurt? It would be nice to get away from these rooms for a bit anyway…it's so nice outside…be away from the damn eyes of all these servants for a bit…yes, this could work.' She thought to herself.  
She walked until she saw a servant standing against a wall chatting with another, as she walked up their eyes went wide and they threw their cigarette butts to the ground, bowing quickly to hide their embarrassment.

"My lady, we didn't see you! I'm so sorry, how may we serve?" the older one said.

"You're fine, please don't worry, I was looking for some refreshment to take back with me is all." Aliah replied with a smile.  
"Of course my lady, I have some wine and a tray here, shall we bring it to you?" she asked.

"No, no this is fine, I'll take it up, oh and also, I would like the gazebo prepared please, have our dinner sent there and make sure we have the futon prepared, clean sheets, nice pillows, all that." She stated. "Oh and, chocolate covered berries as well for dessert." She added.

The two servants bowed and stated a quick, "of course my lady," before handing over a tray containing a great flagon of wine and two cups.  
Aliah took the tray and quickly smiled as she turned and walked back down the hall.

________________________________________  
"Here we are." Aliah said as she came back in the door. Placing the tray on the table, she poured two glasses of wine and presented Loki with one of them.  
They drank deeply of the refreshing white wine and immediately felt rejuvenated.

"Ah, now that's better," Loki sighed. "How long have we been at this?" he asked.

"Oh, it's only been two hours, buck up, you've almost got it. You'll be glad I made you do this if shit goes down out there." She said.  
"Yes your right of course," Loki said to the ceiling. He got up from the chair and stood by the table once again, studying the book once more that lay open before him.

"You can do this," Aliah encouraged as she sat down and slung her leg over the arm again.  
Loki concentrated on the words, closing his eyes he reached out his hand and a slight shimmer appeared around him. Aliah leaned forward in her chair and held her breath. He moved his hand and suddenly he was surrounded by a faint shimmer, wavering slightly in the light.

"YES!" Aliah cheered, "I knew you could do this! See, what did I tell you?" she said.

Loki opened his eyes and smiled deeply, bowing slightly before her.

"Why thank you my lady, I aim to please." He smirked.

Loki let the force field drop and pulled a chair closer to her from the wall and sat down, grateful for the little break. He leaned his head back against the chair and thought for a moment.  
"Aliah, I've been meaning to ask you, what ever happened with your parents?" he asked.

Aliah looked over to him, wondering where all this came from suddenly, she had never really been asked about herself before and was slightly taken aback.  
"What do you mean?" she asked, her eyes narrowing as she stared straight at him.

Loki looked back at her briefly and quickly shifted his gaze to the floor in front of her.

"I was just, I mean, I know what it's like to feel like an outcast and …" he wavered, "well you're not like the others, in a good way!" he added quickly. "It's just, you seem troubled sometimes, and I just wondered what happened, there are no pictures anywhere of family and you never talk about them." He stated carefully.

Aliah just looked at him for a bit, considering her words carefully. Finally she stared at the floor as she raised a hand to her mouth in contemplation.  
"I don't really like to discuss those matters Loki, Its no concern of yours." She stated flatly.

"Aliah," Loki said as he came out of his chair slowly, taking a step and then kneeling front of her. "Please," he begged; his eyes wide as he looked at her. "Let me in, just a little."

She looked down at him, kneeling before her on his knee, his brow wrinkled in a compassionate gaze as he put his hands on her knee.

"Please," he asked again, "I want to know, just a little." He begged.

"Why do you care?" she asked finally.

"Because I do," he answered quietly, "you know I do." He said. "Surely you can tell, by now, I do care." He added.

Aliah let her hand fall to the armrest finally, and gritted her teeth. She stood up and motioned for Loki to sit back down; grabbing their glasses she opened the stopper and poured another glass of wine for them both.

Setting it down within reach of their chairs, she turned and waved her hand, a painting appeared on the wall of three people. Obviously her parents and her as a little girl stared back at them, their smiling faces beamed out from the picture.

"My father," Aliah stated, "was…a good man," as she looked at the painting before them.  
"My mother, on the other hand…well, not so much." She said as she took a drink.  
"I was always a tomboy, running out to the gardens and climbing trees, sneaking into the village to get into trouble with some local kids. There were never any other kids in this place growing up. My parents of course hated it. Always demanding I act according to my station, be quiet, wear dresses, which I hated of course." She said with a chuckle.  
Loki smiled at her words, but sat quietly sipping his wine as he listened, staring at the painting and studying Aliah as a child.

"They finally selected a tutor for me, when I came of age, but I refused. I hated the idea of someone trying to change who I was, making me into something I wasn't." she said.  
"So I left, I had been with him only a week and I just slipped out one night. I had no interest in etiquette and diplomacy, and certainly not some old sweaty noble having his way with me." She said, looking at the floor in front of the painting now.  
"When I got home, my mother was livid with me. Raging around, screaming about how I should know my place, and who else would run this place after they were gone. Bullshit like that mostly, how would the other nobles see me if I kept acting like I did. I didn't care, I just wanted to be who I was." Aliah said as she turned to look at Loki.

"It's like they never wanted me to be who I was, they never accepted me for myself, and I was just something to be used, molded for their wishes, to hell with my own." She said.  
Loki nodded his head in understanding; he thought how he felt exactly the same way, never good enough for anyone, especially his father.

"So one night, a group of men came." She continued. "They waited till I was asleep, and bound me tightly, carrying me off to another tutor. This one though, he was far more…demanding." She stated.  
"Evidently he was someone you could send the troubled ones to, I guess it was known that he got results." She stated flatly.

"I was gone for two years; in that time he made sure I learned my place. If I didn't…" she trailed off.

"Well, let's just say, he was very persuasive. I tried to resist him..but somewhere along the way…I just couldn't fight it any more. I just couldn't…take any more of the beatings…I finally just shut up and did everything he said. Hoping to escape whatever fun new game he came up with every day." She stated.

Loki watched her carefully, knowing full well what she was describing. She didn't have to say the words, he knew. He could see it in her eyes. He understood exactly how the nobles of Asgard looked kind and wonderful on the outside, but inside, was another matter.  
"Evidently one day he just decided I was broken enough, and he sent me back. I came home not so much ready to take over this kingdom, but just ready to somehow try and find myself again." She said.

"It didn't happen though, somewhere along the way, I think that girl disappeared somewhere. The only thing I could think of was making them pay." She said.

"And did you?" Loki asked. "Did you make them pay?" he asked carefully.

"Oh, they still are." She answered, quickly adding," I'm sure. I tell myself that anyway, sometimes I even believe it."

Aliah waved her hand and the painting was gone.

In her mind, Aliah saw his face flash before her once again. She thought of how she would never be able to touch him, as much as she wanted, she would never be able to punish him. He was too great…too renowned…too untouchable. She almost thought of his name, but pushed it aside before it came to her, the sound of it always made her sick anymore. She felt a slight cracking in her heart, and a comforting heat leaked out slightly making her feel better. It strengthened her in a way, and drove her slightly mad in another.

She remembered herself then, she remembered where she was and who was in the room with her. He had wanted to know, because he cared, 'how very sweet he is,' she thought quietly.  
Then she remembered her tormentor again, and all he had done to her. She knew she was standing so close to her answer, after all this time, she was so close.  
The thoughts steeled her heart, lifting her up and setting her back on a path she knew so well. A path she was comfortable with. She stood there quietly, imagining in her mind as if she was before a great road, diverging into two lanes. She tried to let the small road disappear from her, but it refused. She pushed the thought away from her, knowing deep inside that both only led to the same place.

Loki sat for a while, watching her stand there, lost in her thoughts as she stared at the spot on the wall where the painting had been.

'She knows,' he thought to himself. 'She alone understands what they do to you.'

Finally Aliah turned around and came back to the table. Taking the glass she downed the wine and sat the cup back down. She looked over to Loki, sitting there, a distressed look on his face.

"Who was he?" Loki finally asked.

"You know I can't tell you that." She answered. "You wouldn't want to know anyway."

He looked up at her and saw the pained look on her face. He finally stood up, and took a step towards her.  
"Aliah," he said, "I understand." He said simply.

"I've met your father," she answered. "I know you do."

"Ah, so you have met him eh?" Loki said with a smirk that hid his pain.

"Ah yes, that delightful man?" Aliah answered, trying to change the mood, "such lovely conversation with that one." She said.

"Yes, I see you noticed." Loki smirked.

They smiled at each other, an understanding passing between them of heartache and pain that transcended words.

Finally Aliah looked up and breathed deeply, quickly she reached down and adjusted herself.  
"Come on; let's get out of this room." She said.  
"Gladly my lady." Loki answered with a smile.  
________________________________________  
Aliah led Loki through a back door, down a set of winding stairs and out through a gate. She flipped a latch on another door in a large wall, and opened it inwards, she waved her hand to him beckoning him through and closed the door behind them.

Loki looked around; they were standing in a great garden, hidden from the view of anyone. Large trees and shrubs greeted them everywhere, a small stream running deeper into the overgrowth. The whole place was old, run down and the wall on this side was crumbling in spots. Vines and weeds were overgrown everywhere, but the beauty of the place remained still. A stone pathway ran deeper into the garden, hidden by large willow trees and the remains of a hedge maze.  
They looked at each other and smiled. It was beautiful, and secluded. It looked as if no one had been here in decades, it was perfect.

Loki reached down and held her hand in his and they slowly walked deeper into the decrepit beauty of the garden.

They walked for a long time, hand in hand, quietly taking in the beauty of the place. Occasionally they would stop and admire a crumbling statue, or a ruined fountain. The sound of frogs greeted them from the broken remains of the font.

"I used to hide here all day as a child." Aliah finally said.  
"I can see why, its lovely here." Loki answered.  
She nodded her head beside him in silent approval.

"It reminds me of how I used to hide in the library," Loki said. "It was the only place to really escape everyone else. I loved the solitude it afforded me. It was the only place I could relax and escape, to be myself for a bit." He added.  
"Yes, exactly." Aliah said.

They walked further into the overgrowth, stepping over branches and around trees, lost in thought and admiring the silent beauty. The finally passed under an overgrown willow and came out to see a small pond covered in lily pads blooming bright pink flowers. On the bank stood a beautiful marquee, a swinging bed covered in fine new sheets and pillows hung in the middle. A small table sat beside the bed with a large tray of food and drink sat waiting for them.

Loki looked over at Aliah and smiled.

"Oh you are good." he said.

"You had any doubt?" she answered with a wink.

They walked over and sat down on the swing, wrapping one arm around each other in silent contentment admiring the beautiful seclusion.  
Aliah finally reached over and filled a plate with food and handed it over to Loki. She reached back and made one for herself, turning back they slid up farther to fully recline on their sides, facing each other they sat and took small bites of the food, savoring each bite.  
Loki desperately wanted to say something but nothing came to mind. He didn't want to spoil the perfect mood. Aliah watched him enjoy the food, taking each piece in his delicate hands. She waved her hand and her small midgardian box appeared. She waved her hand again and a beautiful song started playing. (1)

They sat there; eating and watching each other, listening to the soft music surround them. It was a perfect moment. Aliah reached out and took a succulent red berry in her hand, lifting it towards Loki's lips. She ran it over his bottom lip, watching it caress his skin. Loki smiled and let out a little giggle. He opened his mouth slightly and closed his mouth around her fingers, letting his tongue grab the berry and bring it into his mouth.

He sat there, gently sucking her finger, swirling his tongue over her delicate finger. He finally released her and reached down, picking up a berry of his own and reached out, gently he ran it across Aliah's lips and offered it to her as well.  
They laid their heads back, propped up on the pillows and relaxed completely, quietly feeding each other in turn, smiling at one another not daring to speak a word.

They watched each other intently, taking in the others face, speaking an unspoken language of bliss and muted desire.

Aliah finally took their plates and set them aside. She poured a glass of wine and brought it back, offering it to Loki; he took a great sip and handed it to her. She took a sip as well, and sat the glass aside. They lay back, and Aliah reached out her arm, bringing Loki into her embrace, quietly watching the sun set in front of them.

The sky turned a bright orange and purple as if a great fire was raging above them. Silently, slowly, the sky changed colors as the first night stars lit up the sky behind the fading light.  
They stayed in each other's embrace, watching the sky and enjoying the closeness.

Aliah waved her fingers and the music changed.

"I do love this," Loki said, "and this is from midgard?" he asked  
"Yes, it's called Rumors, from a group of minstrels there. Beautiful isn't it?" she said.  
Loki just snuggled his head closer to Alias neck in agreement.

Loki let his hand wander and stroked Aliah's stomach, working his way downward to stroke her hips. She looked down and watched him run his fingers over her. She smiled slightly, bringing her hand up she ran her fingers slowly through his hair.  
Slowly he slid his fingers under her flowing robes and felt her skin, soft and strong at his touch. He undid her lowest button, allowing his hand to slide further up. Aliah moved slightly and gently pulled his head back, easily moving his head to look into his eyes. She lay there, watching him look at her before she moved her head down and gently kissed his lips.

Loki breathed softly and closed his eyes, running his hand further up her robes and over her. Aliah felt a rush of blood and her member responded, slowly coming to life at his touch. She kissed him deeper, running her tongue over his lips as he opened them inviting her in. Slowly, the music changed to 'songbird', and the beauty of it surrounded them in its melody.

She stroked his arm as he explored her, unbuttoning her robe as he went. Soon he undid the last button and slid his hand up over her breasts, gently fondling her as they tasted each other's kiss.  
She placed her hand on his and slowly moved it down her stomach, down until he felt her hardness. She breathed deep and tore away from his lips to kiss his neck. Trailing down his neck she left soft kisses as she moved to his ear, licking and gently nipping as she went.

Loki moaned softly next to her ear. He stroked her gently through the fabric of her pants, spurred on by her kisses. He wrapped his hands around her shaft, stroking gently, tugging the lust into her core carefully.  
She reached down and pulled his shirt from his pants, gently pulling it from under him and pulled it over his head, dropping it to the floor. She ran her hands down his chest and strong arms, feeling every muscle move as he stroked her.

Loki moved slightly and pushed her back onto the pillow, looking into her eyes before moving his lips to her throat. Gently he licked and kissed as he moved ever so slightly downward. He rubbed her harder before slipping his hands inside her pants and ran his fingers down her length. He quietly slipped off his boots and let them fall away. Aliah heard them fall and pushed hers off as well.

Loki returned his hands inside her pants, gently caressing her and cupping her jewels. He ran his tongue over her breasts and swirled his tongue around a sensitive nipple. 

Aliah grinned to herself and relaxed into the softness of the cushions, “his mind,” she thought to herself. “how quiet it is now, how quickly he reacts, he was so starved for attention, how long has it been since his mind screamed obscenities at himself?”

She gently pressed into his mind, she could hear nothing from him but the quiet sounds of ‘more’ from deep within him. ‘He is coming along so nicely, a few more years of celibacy and there would be no telling what madness would have taken him.” She thought.   
Aliah looked down at his face, flushed slightly red and returned her thoughts to his caresses and pushed all thought away as she gave in and gave him permission to do as he pleased for a time. He slid down and pressed his kisses down to her stomach, working his way lower and lower with every kiss.

He looked back at her, smiling when he caught her eye. She winked at him and smiled, bringing a smile and a little giggle to his face. He pushed her pants downward and slipped them off her completely. He reached down and untied his pants as well, quickly sliding them off as he went. She drank in the sight of his perfect behind bathed in moonlight.

Loki smiled an evil grin and ran his tongue down her shaft. She sucked in a deep breath of pleasure at his touch. She felt her cock jump in excitement, eager for his caress. He ran his tongue around her corona, tasting the sweet nectar it held.  
She let her mouth fall open in desire as she ran her hand down his back. Finally, she reached down and forced him back up to her, kissing his mouth and forcing her tongue inside to swirl around his. She forced him down now and trailed her kisses down his chest.

He moaned softly at her caress, running his hands down her back as she moved down to his stomach. She pressed her hardness into his groin, letting him feel her need grind next to his.  
"Ah, yes please." He called to her, "gods, you're so good."

She smiled into his navel, moving down even lower and ran her tongue over his manhood now. She looked up from her caresses to look up to him. He watched her, their eyes locked both gazing on one another stoking their lust for the other.  
She moved lower now, taking a hand and gently cupping and caressing his jewels, moving them aside finally, she brought Loki's leg up over her shoulder and ran her tongue over his yoni.  
Loki's mouth dropped open and he let out a low moan. "Ah, don't stop." He breathed.

She ran her tongue over him, finding him wet, she drank in his nectar, plunging her tongue inside and gently flicking it over his tunnel.

Loki's hands seized her hair and he sucked in a great gasp of air. He shoved her down harder, and she licked him harder, plunging her tongue inside over and over, coming up only long enough to lick and nuzzle the sides as she went.  
She felt his hands in her hair, pulling her back up to his lips; she let him bring her back to him. She crawled up to him, letting their cocks grind against each other's again, and kissed him deeply.  
Loki's hot mouth sucked and licked hers, his desire at its peak. He stared into her eyes and she saw his need written there.

"Tell me," she said simply.

"I need you." He said quietly. "I need you Aliah."

"How do you want me?" she teased, kissing him gently on the chin.

"Come into me." He whispered to her, his lust mixed with a fear on his face.

"I won't hurt you, I promise." She whispered gently. Carefully, she moved his leg up and slid her hips down, pressing her hardness against him. Loki's eyes went wide, and he nodded to her.  
"I know." He said quietly.

She stayed there, gently letting her shaft press against the length of his tunnel, her arms holding herself up beside his chest. She looked back up at him, making sure he was ok. Gently the song shifted, 'oh daddy' rang out through the air around them.  
"Are you sure?" she breathed.

"I need you," he answered "make me yours" he said finally.

She kissed his stomach, running her tongue around his navel. She flicked her hips up, bringing her head to his entrance. She ran it over his nectar slowly as Loki breathed a soft moan towards her.  
"Take me please." He called.

She slid into him gently a bit, feeling his heat and wetness envelop her. They moaned together gently, she pulled back, looking back up to meet his gaze, making sure he wasn't in pain. Loki nodded at her, their mouths open slightly as they panted towards each other.

She pushed ahead gently, Loki's head falling back as he clutched her arms in a strong grip.

She felt him open up to her, his yoni clutching her length tightly, she pushed slowly deeper and deeper and heard him cry out. She looked up as she quickly stopped; Loki looked down at her, his eyes full of lust. She saw him breathing deeply, finally he nodded again, and she slowly pushed further.

He was so wet now, his nectar running down her thigh, she finally buried herself deep within him; she fought the heat and the pleasure, making sure she didn't cum too soon. Aliah now slowly started a gentle rhythm, pulling out slightly before plunging ahead again.

Loki called out gently to her, unable to be quiet, biting his lip and breathing heavily.

"Is this good?" she called quietly.  
"Oh gods yes, don't stop." He pleaded.  
She plunged forward, burying herself in him as deep as she could, eliciting loud moans of pleasure from him. She picked up her rhythm, pulling back slowly and gently, before plunging in deeply again and again.  
She sat up slightly on her knees now, bringing Loki's hips up to meet her, plunging in deeper and deeper again, to his pleasured moans.  
"Ah, don't stop," he called finally, and she felt his heat rise.  
"Tell me when," she called to him.  
"So close." Was all Loki could get out.

She plunged ahead, feeling her own release near. She stroked him deeper, coaxing his body to come undone. She watched his face, his mouth thrown open in ecstasy below her, he cried out low moans at her touch, his face turning red; he wanted it so badly now.

"Gods you feel so good, Loki, cum for me darling." She called.

That was it, at her words Loki felt himself fall over the edge, her words sending him into the abyss. He cried out loudly, unable to control himself, screaming and grasping her arms in his strong hands, clutching and holding on dearly to her as both halves of his sex erupted simultaneously.

She felt him shudder and tremble, milking her cock in his spasms and she felt his maleness shoot out between them. She couldn't contain it any longer, the heat and tightness of his sex pulled her until she too fell over the edge with him, calling out to him as well, their lust feeding on each other's release. She was frozen as she exploded into him, unable to pull out as she knew she should. She came into him, giving him every drop of her essence.

Their lust subsided, and Loki fell back panting and writhing against her. Finally spent, she fell into his arms as he wrapped them around her, holding her closer to him as he relaxed. They stayed in each other's embrace until her spent member slowly receded.

She kissed his chest as she lie upon him, his hands stroking through her hair and kissing the top of her head. She came out of him, and crawled up to him, falling over on her back, out of breath and arms aching for rest. She held out her arm and pulled him close to her in a sweet embrace.

She breathed deeply, desperate for air. She smiled wide; looking down at him as she lay there, Loki looked up and smiled as he kissed her neck.

"Was that okay?" she asked between breaths. "Are you okay?" she added.

"Oh yes." Loki answered with a grin. "That was much better than okay." He said.

Aliah laughed, and squeezed him tighter in her arm. "Ah, good." she said simply, running a hand through her wet hair to push it away from her face.  
"I was afraid…well, I didn't know…if I would hurt you." She said.

"You can hurt me anytime." He teased.

"Oh, I didn't did I?" she asked

"No, no, don't worry," he calmed her quickly, "you're so good." he said.

"Oh my gods Loki, you're good both ways." She answered.  
"We match each other well my lady." Loki called.

Aliah giggled slightly at him, the thought of her doing this to anyone else made her mind slightly shut down. Loki was unlike any other man she had known, and she doubted there was another in all the nine realms as well.  
"Loki, I ah…just wondered…" she stammered.

"Just ask already." Loki said with a grin, "I know you want to."

"Do you…you know…need anything? Once a month?" she asked hesitantly.  
Loki chuckled quietly, a grin on his face.

"No my lady, I do not seem to suffer as others do." He answered.  
"I am a god. I am above that, I do believe." He stated.

Aliah nodded, quietly ticking off another box in her mind in favor of the 'not a mutation' checklist she was keeping.

Loki pushed himself up onto one arm and looked deep into her eyes. She turned to him and they stared for a time into each other's eyes, smiling at one another, both of them studying the other's face. She saw his mind turning, thinking what to do next.  
"I am all yours now my lady," he finally whispered. "What will you do with me?" he asked.  
"Probably torture you." She said flatly before kissing his lips again.

Loki opened his mouth and grinned deeply as he stared into her eyes.

Finally he let out a quick," Aliah…I…" before she shushed him quickly, pulling him back to rest on her chest.

"Don't say it, it's ok." She said quickly.

"No, Aliah…I want you to know…" he tried

"No, shushhhh, it's alright….I know….I know." She called.

"Me too…okay?" she finally added.  
Loki grinned widely and pushed her over, kissing her deeply.

Aliah laughed, and held him tight to her as they kissed.

"Now my lady, I would have more of you." Loki finally said.  
"Oh you are kidding, you evil man! You're insatiable!" she said.  
"Yes, I am." Loki teased.

"Oh my dear, it's not going to happen, I am spent." She answered.  
"Oh? We shall see." Loki answered.

Aliah laughed, smiling up at him as he rolled on top of her to hold her down and cover her in kisses.

They wrestled in their love, hugging each other and laughing as they played for a while longer, eventually releasing one another in exhaustion.  
Finally sitting up, Aliah took a pitcher of water and led Loki to the side of the marquee, where they washed each other quickly before climbing back into the bed.  
Aliah reached under the bed and pulled out some blankets, covering them up before spooning into each other and falling to sleep under the stars of a perfect summer night.


	17. Chapter 17

The sun peeked over the horizon and bathed Loki and Aliah in a warm glow. Slowly they stirred as the light streamed through the trees hitting their faces. They stretched and groaned, feeling a deep need to go back to sleep, but they knew once you were awake in the outdoors, sleep never comes back.

"unggg," Loki moaned as he slung his arm over his eyes. "Make it stop."

"Just a few more minutes," Aliah called back.

It was going to be a long day, they had to prepare for the journey to the mines and she did not look forward to her ass in a saddle all day.

'Well at least this thing will be going away soon.' She thought. The very idea of trying to ride with this thing attached was incomprehensible. She wondered how men even accomplished riding a horse without destroying themselves, but quickly pushed the thought aside as she felt a peculiar hardness arise.

"What the hell?" she said quietly, looking down at her crotch.

She heard a chuckle from beside her as Loki immediately knew her dilemma.  
"Problems my lady?" he teased. "Has a mind of its own sometimes eh?"

Aliah threw him a dirty look and sighed quietly.  
"Yes, if you must know." She finally said.

"Remind me to show you a more updated spell, one that doesn't have a time limit." Loki said with a grin.  
"What makes you think this is going to happen again?" she called

"Oh please, your lies do not become you my lady." Loki said flatly.

Aliah just turned her head and stared at him, a smirk crossing her face as she met his sleepy gaze.  
"humph." She answered.

He was right of course, but she was more than ready for the time limit to expire and wave it away, much preferring the comfort of an empty set of drawers.  
"Come on, get up." She finally said, pushing herself away from the pillows.  
"Too late." She heard him call back wickedly.

"Save it for the ride dear." She answered with a smirk.  
________________________________________  
An hour later they were both washed and dressed. A small bag sat on the bed containing a change of clothes and a book, Loki's attempt at packing for the small journey.  
Aliah walked out of the bathroom one last time and looked at the bag.

"This all then?" she asked him.

"Yes this should be plenty." He said.

Aliah waved her hand over the bag and it disappeared.

"That will make it easier to ride." She said.

"When are you going to teach me that?" he said with a frown.

"Ah, yes, it is handy isn't it? As soon as we return, I promise." She answered.  
"That would be most helpful." Loki said with a grin.

Aliah checked the clock and read what it said.

"Ah finally!" she stated.

Loki watched in silent amusement as she waved her hand, a contented smile easing onto her face.

"Ahhhh, thank the gods." She called back, free of her male appendage finally.

"Aww, just when I was starting to enjoy it." He smirked.

Aliah just looked at him in silent amusement.

"Deal with it, duty calls." She said with a grin.  
________________________________________  
They walked down the stairs and out through the guard area and offices.

"I'll meet you there," Aliah said, "just need to grab a few things," as she ducked into her office.

She walked over to a far wall and waved her hand. A picture swung sideways from the wall and revealed a small safe hidden behind. A 'click' softly sounded and the heavy iron door to the small safe swung open. Reaching inside Aliah pulled out a headpiece of gold, its two small horns were dusty from disuse. She looked at it and frowned. 

'Stupid thing.' She said at it. She gave it a quick dusting off and then waved her hands making it disappear.

She was about to turn around and close the safe when she glanced inside again. She thought for a moment, and then pulled out a fine gold handled dagger. She inspected it closely, running her hands over the gold torque design at the end. She smiled slightly and shoved it into her belt, pulling her robe over to conceal it. Closing the vault, she turned around.

Walking back to her desk she gathered some bundled up papers, only to notice a note laying off to the side of the stack, still closed with a wax seal. Opening it quickly, she read out:

*My lady, I have here a list of things you may find interesting. Please note the first especially. C*

Aliah flipped the page and came to a short list of items written with descriptions beside it. Her eyes immediately went to the first in the list, noting it intently.

*Blue jewel—large egg size-removed from king Laufey's crown-exhibits unknown powers as well as slight freezing potential-currently held by overseer Skuld.

"Well, well." She said out loud. "Looks like my lucky day."  
She refolded the paper and waved her hand, the note and folder of papers disappeared into thin air.  
________________________________________  
Walking out into the stable yard Aliah saw her advisor Bjorn as well as a squad of soldiers waiting around.

"Ah my lady!" Bjorn called. "All preparations are complete." he stated.  
"Ah good, my ass hasn't been sore in days, I don't know how to handle myself." She said flatly.  
Bjorn turned an eye of disapproval towards her but kept silent.

"Aw, come on Bjorn, you can't be looking forward to this either, especially at your age, right?" Bjorn remained silent and just looked at her.

"Fine, be that way. Let's just get this going. Is my horse ready?" she asked.  
"Ah yes, my lady. I do believe lord Loki is over by it." He answered.

She walked over to the squad leader and nodded her head. "Everything in order?" she asked.  
"My lady," he answered. "We have a thirty man squad, ready to accompany you. Anytime you are ready, we can begin." He said.

"Very good, and here," she said reaching out, quickly shoving the dagger into his hands. "Take this, and give it to lord Loki once we arrive. Not until then, and don’t let him know it came from me." She added.  
"Understood my lady." He said as she nodded and turned on her heel.

She walked over to the middle of the area, and found her horse. The beast was standing beside the great black mare Ulfr had brought back from Asgard.  
Aliah narrowed her eyes, staring at her horse inspecting it closely. She walked over to it and put her hand on its cheek, leaning in she stared into its great eye with a suspicious look.  
"Loki?" she asked quietly, "is that you playing some trick?" she asked.

Loki's head popped out from the other side of the horse.  
"Now what makes you think I would do such a thing?" he teased.

Aliah smiled as she realized he had been standing on the other side of the animal the entire time.  
"Don't act like you wouldn't." she answered.

"Sadly, the horses were already saddled when I arrived." He stated. "Besides, too many people around, your loss." He grinned.  
Aliah ignored his comments.

"I see your riding the black mare again." She called as she eased into her saddle.  
"Yes, we have become quite good friends it seems." Loki answered.

He did look magnificent on the horse, its long black mane and tail shining in the sun, matching his own black hair and dark riding coat. It even looked rather regal now that it had a proper saddle and no baggage hanging off of it.  
They steadied themselves and slipped on riding gloves as a large bald man rode over to meet them.

"My lady." He called to her, nodding his head in respect.

"Ah! Ulfr, fantastic! Are you ready for a glorious day of saddle sores again?" she called  
"As always." He called back flatly.  
"Ah, you love it, admit it." She answered.

"Company, move out!" they heard from in front as the horses settled into formation, leading a small procession surrounding them.  
"Well, here we go boys." Aliah called to Loki and Ulfr.

"Let's see if we can start some trouble shall we?" she called with a grin.

Loki let a gleeful smile flash across his face as he looked at her, quickly he glanced over at Ulfr afterwards. The large bald man didn't even bother looking up as he fell in step beside them. Ulfr was intent on an apple in his hands and he lazily took a great bite, grabbing the reins he eased his horse away from the castle without looking up.

________________________________________  
It was past midday when they finally stopped for a rest. A servant came over and sat a chair down for Aliah, but she preferred to stand. Men in shifts were trailing off into the woods to relieve themselves and Aliah bowed away from the pack to answer the call away from the others.

When she came back, still adjusting her robe, she looked up to see a rider approaching.

The man slowed down and saluted to a line of guards as he rode closer. "It's one of ours sir." One of the guards said to his superior.  
The man leaned down and handed over a letter to the guard, then turned the horse around and rode back the way he came. Walking over to Aliah, the guard bowed and presented the paper to her.  
Aliah took it and inspected it, she noted the marking on the wax seal and slid her finger across it, breaking the seal and unfolding it. Loki watched as she slowly read it, her eyes moving across the words as he watched.  
"Anything important?" Loki asked.

"No, nothing much, same old shit, as usual. Nothing to be worried about." She stated to him with a smile as she folded it closed again, quickly making it disappear into thin air.  
"What aren't you telling me?" Loki asked as they mounted their horses again.

"Me? I would never hide anything from you Loki," she stated coolly. Gently she maneuvered the horse sideways closer to him and leaned over, "except of course, if we're talking about your cock buried hip deep in me that is." She said quietly, a wicked grin on her face.  
Loki blushed slightly but quickly recovered, letting a little, 'ehehe' escape his lips. "You are an evil woman, I love it." He said behind a toothy grin.  
________________________________________  
Late afternoon came as they reached the final hill overlooking the mines. The entire company stopped to survey the view. Below them in a great valley lay a long dirt road leading to a great dead zone. The earth had been scraped clean of all life, having been mined for centuries. In the middle of the valley lie a great mountain of stone, surrounded by a high wall of rock and wood. A great smoke billowed from the center of it all, rising high into the sky. At the main gate, a wide barricade of logs and dirt had been erected, obviously by the striking workers to keep out anyone they wished. Men were stationed around the top of the wall, easily defending their position.

"Well this does look fun." Aliah said.

Loki surveyed the scene before them. "And here you wanted me to miss all this."

Aliah sighed; she was tired of being in the saddle and was more than ready for dinner.  
"Alright come on, let's find a good spot and set up camp." She said. "I'm hungry."

The procession filed down into the valley and settled near the main gates, well out of range of any weapons the dissenters might want to use. Tents were set up and Loki and Aliah were quickly set up in a comfortable tent, holding a bed just big enough for them both as well as a table and some chairs.

They sat down and surveyed the scene as guards worked around them, setting up their own tents and preparing dinner for everyone.  
"Ah what a glorious day." Loki sniffed.

"Yes," Aliah answered, "I can smell the carnage from here as well. Do you know what that smell is exactly my dear Loki?" she asked.  
"Do tell."

"Money." She stated. "That my dear, is the smell of profits, unfortunately at this very moment they are not being made while these rebels are holed up in there. Tell me, how you would have handled this situation, if it was you in my shoes?" she asked.  
"Simple." Loki stated. "I would have brought half my army and crushed them where they stood."

"Ah, yes, the stick. But what would you have done once you had destroyed them all?" she asked. "Seeing as how you would have also destroyed the workforce?"  
"Just find new ones." He stated.

"Yes, well, see that is where you and I differ my dear." Aliah said as she poured two glasses of wine.

"You see that village over there, just to the side of the mine? That is where the workers live. And unlike any other village where you could easily just recruit new people to fill open positions, here this is all they do. In fact, all any of these people have ever done, is work these mines. They are rather proud of that fact for some reason, seeing as how no one else in their right mind would ever want to work in a shit hole of a mine all their lives." She said.

"So if you were to come in here and massacre everyone, it would be quite hard to get this place up and running to full capacity for quite some time." She said.

"That is why, sometimes, a carrot is needed, and why I am here enjoying this nice wine with you, instead of bombing the shit out of these piss ants." She stated with a smile.  
Loki grinned and nodded his head to her, sipping his wine as he relaxed in the chair beside her.  
"I understand, a wise choice my lady." He answered.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I must go see about dinner." She said, rising from her chair and walking off.

She walked over to some guards and talked with them briefly, watching some meat turn on a spit over a great fire. Nodding she walked away and headed for a bathroom.  
Loki sat watching the guards and servants go about their business. Beyond them, he looked towards the gates seeing them barricaded hastily with logs and bits of stone. He watched the men atop the gates patrol around, keeping an eye on them warily.  
A guard walked over and nodded his head to Loki. "My lord, I was told to give you this." The man said, as he pulled out a fine gold dagger and presented it to him. Nodding quickly, he walked off.

Loki inspected the fine dagger, pulling it out of the sheath. Finding it sharp and fine, he smiled to himself and ran his fingers down the intricate metalwork, admiring the torque design at the butt.  
He slid the blade back into the sheath just as Aliah returned.

"Look at the fine dagger I have been presented." Loki said casually. "I wonder who could have done that?" he said, eyeing her.  
"That would be the captain of the guard." She said. "He told me earlier he was going to make sure you were armed. We can't have you going in there empty handed." She stated.

"Ah, of course." Loki said slightly deflated. He slipped it onto his belt and casually glanced towards Aliah, noting the small smile on her face. He grinned to himself then, finally understanding what had just happened. He decided to keep quiet about it; he slipped his hand down and caressed the blade with his fingers, a warm gratified feeling filling his heart.

He understood it was from her, but somehow she could not overtly give him a gift. He remembered how she had quickly stopped him from expressing his feelings the night before and he understood, he thought. It was far too soon, and he was a prince. He should be the one presenting her with gifts. As his tutor, she could not be seen as subordinate to him. He resolved himself to present her with a gift when they returned in thanks. He watched her sitting beside him, surveying all the people, before she waved a hand and conjured some papers to go over. He wanted to tell her how he felt, how he was slowly coming to adore her.

He thought about her tortured past, and how she was obviously not telling him everything, he didn't blame her. He had hidden his pain for so long, he had no one to confide in in all his life. He understood how she felt; some things just can't be spoken. She alone understood how he felt, and he took comfort knowing that at least she was there, for however long that may be. He pushed aside his desire to think any further than that. Now wasn't the time, it wasn't the place. He put aside the knowledge that he was falling terribly for her, and somehow soon, he would make her understand that too.

"What are you smiling at?" he heard her say to him.  
"Oh, just thinking about how fun this excursion could be. I'm looking forward to learning your negotiating tactics." He lied quickly.  
"Humph," she snorted with a smile. "This might not be as fun as you think." She answered.

Aliah turned and looked at him head on now, a serious look on her face.  
"Loki, you should know, this could get dangerous. I want you to be very careful." She said.  
"I understand my lady." He said.

'She does care.' He told himself.

After a while a servant came over and laid a plate of food before them each.  
"Oh thank the gods, I'm starving." She said, immediately tearing into the rabbit before her.

As they were eating they heard a familiar, "my lady," from behind them. Aliah and Loki looked up to see Bjorn walking up to them. As he bowed, Aliah nodded to him.  
"It's dinner Bjorn, what is it?" she said between mouthfuls.  
"Yes, I am sorry my lady. It's just that overseer Skuld is here to see you.

"Fine," she said in an annoyed tone. "Invite him over; see that he gets a plate of food as well."  
"As you wish." Bjorn said and walked off.

A guard escorted a greasy little man that looked surprisingly like a ferret over to them.  
"My lady Aliah," he said, bowing slightly before her. He sounded like a greasy little ferret as well she thought, even though she had never actually heard a ferret speak.  
"Overseer Skuld, how nice to see you again." Aliah lied with a wide smile. Motioning him to an empty chair she added, "Please sit, I have a plate coming for you as well, I do hope you'll join us."

"Ah, yessss thank you my dear lady." He sniveled, taking a seat across from her.

"This is Lord Loki," Aliah motioned towards him. Loki bowed his head slightly and returned to his food, his eyes keeping the man in his sights.  
"My honor lord," Skuld called. "My lady, I am so glad you came. I hate to burden you with this matter, but as you know I'm sure, the damned minors have holed up inside and we simply must get them back to work as soon as possible." He said.  
"You think I don't know that? Why else would I be here?" she stated flatly.

"Ah…yes of course." He answered.

A servant came over and placed a plate of food before him. He didn't even blink; he dug in to the food without even a nod of gratitude.  
Finally Aliah spoke up. "I will go out and meet with them tomorrow. I'm sure we can set up a meeting and get this resolved quickly then. Have no doubts overseer; your profits will flow again soon. Be prepared for both sides to meet early tomorrow." She said not looking up from her plate.

"Thank you my lady." He answered.  
She waved her hand to him motioning for the man to leave. He got up from his chair and bowed curtly, quickly turning to leave escorted by the guard once again.  
Aliah waited till he was well away from them. She reached out, taking the cup of wine in her hand and took a drink. "I hate that nasty little man." Aliah stated after swallowing.  
"Yes," Loki answered. "He does possess a certain charm."

Aliah motioned for a guard and he leaned down to her. "Follow him, quietly. Report what you find in the morning." She said. The guard bowed and ran off.  
Their meal finished, Loki and Aliah moved their chairs out to sit by the fire. The night sky lit up with stars as half the guards settled around their own fires, the other half patrolled the area.

Loki and Aliah sat there side by side, enjoying the fire and watching the camp mill about. Aliah looked over at Loki, sitting quietly, his long legs crossed elegantly. It drove her mad, she couldn't get enough of his long legs, they went on forever she thought. She tried to calm the blushing feeling creeping up her, he made her arms weak, and her mouth went dry as she watched him holding things in his hands with those long fingers. She knew she shouldn't feel this way. It made her stomach ache quite honestly, she tried to fight it but the best she could do was just not look at him. She could keep a straight face thankfully, if she would just not make eye contact. That was the only defense she had.

She had done a damn good job of holding everything in, but after last night, she felt her defenses cracking. All day she had been able to watch him riding the horse, his hips swaying to the gate of the magnificent animal. His legs, they were everywhere, all over the damn beast. It drove her crazy.

She picked up her chair and sat it down beside him and sat there with him almost brushing up against her arm. She refused to look over at him. Maybe it was being out under the sky with him. Maybe it was the warm fire throwing shadows and sparks around them. Maybe it was just him. She could smell him, his scent of sweat from the day and shampoo.

She kept her hands on her lap as she sat, her legs stretched out comfortably in her usual dirty whore position. She didn't care, it was who she was. She stared at the fire and contented herself with the feeling of his arm brushing against hers. It was all she could take just then, anymore and she would have gone insane. She wanted to grab him tightly and shove him into a deep embrace. She dared not, all these people, all these eyes. They couldn't see her like that, she couldn't let them. And what would Loki think? Was he starting to see her as weak? She couldn't let him see her weak, not after telling him about her past. Back in that room, he had wanted to know, it unsettled her, she wasn't prepared for anyone to ever ask her about herself.

She had understood why he had; Loki had been as abused by his family as she had been by hers. He had no choice, nothing of his own say in his life even now. He could have denied her, like all the others at first. They always fought, they always had to be chained, coaxed and coerced. She had been so prepared for it in the beginning, but Loki, he hadn't fought her at all. He had even taken her into him willingly. He had wanted to know about her, he had begged her even. She had felt his despair and heard his mind screaming for her to not ignore him.

She had no need to beat him, he was beside her, willingly, and she hadn't needed to force him in any way yet. He had refused the few days of freedom it would have allowed him her coming here. But he had not wanted her to go without him; here he was, beside her, sitting quietly waiting for her to say something.

She searched for something to say, feeling her arms weak in her lap from the nearness of him. She had to be careful; she couldn't look weak to him. One wrong word and it would be her undoing. She thought of many topics, wondering how to start talking to him, why was it so hard tonight?

It had to be something from yesterday carrying over. Maybe it was his words, after she had taken him, he had been so vulnerable. Had he really tried to tell her how he felt? She had stopped him before he did. She wasn't sure she could handle it if he did. Nothing could change if they actually started…she pushed the thought away. It was like pushing away the waves coming back in after washing out to sea.

She could listen to his thoughts; she could if she just wanted to, right now. She couldn't do it for some reason; she gave him his space, in his own mind. She wasn't sure she could handle hearing him think right now.

It had been quiet for too long, he just sat there, was he waiting on her? Was he giving her a space as well? She had to do something, what would it mean if they just sat here? Doing nothing? She slowly felt herself slipping into madness; she calmed her heart, desperately staying in control. She must stay in control.

Gently, Loki reached out his hand and silently took hers in his hand. He slid his fingers between hers, letting his hand brush slowly down hers, both savoring the feeling at the movement.

She felt a blush creep up her face; she dare not turn to look at him. His hand, so delicate, his long fingers, his hot hand in hers, it sent a surge of adrenaline through her, she felt it move through her arms and down into her legs. She held his hand back, letting their hands entwine and settle on their legs between each other.

Loki felt her silence. He couldn't take just feeling her brush against him anymore, he had to reach out. She had been sitting there for so long; she was so lost in thought. He couldn't tell what she was thinking, but she had moved her chair closer, she had to be thinking of them at least a little, he hoped. He knew she was an ocean of thought and he dare not disrupt it. He desperately wanted to tell her how he felt, how much she made him finally feel happiness inside. He no longer felt alone, so terribly alone and somehow, when he was with her, all that went away.

If he could just somehow catch her eyes, if he could make her laugh, even a little, but he dare not speak and break the silence.

They sat there, arms and legs brushing together, their hands in the others, in a holy quiet of peace on the outside, but on the inside of each of them, a raging tempest of emotion churning.  
Aliah felt her mouth drop open, she almost let out a sound, and she looked down at the ground.

'Just make a sound, just say something, it's getting awkward' she thought.  
"Ah…are…you alright?" she finally said quietly.

Loki nodded quietly to her, "yeah." He said.  
She felt him lean closer to her, his arm pushing into her a little harder, his muscles so well defined, so easily felt even through the layers of their clothes.

That was it; it was all she could get out. 'What the hell. Why the fuck am I doing this? I shouldn't be feeling this. Just say something dammit.'  
'What is she thinking about? She's trying to say something, I should probably say something, anything. Maybe I'll fuck it up; she's just thinking about the problem tomorrow, just another thing she has to deal with. She's probably not even thinking about me at all. Why would she? Why can't I just…I don't know." He thought.

"I had a nice time, yesterday" Aliah finally said.

Loki wanted desperately to turn to her and kiss her, to hold her tight and feel her close to him. He had no idea how to do that though, 'she's obviously thinking about us, ok I'm not an idiot, what do I do?'  
"Me too, thank you for opening up to me, just a little." He said.

"You too. I ah…I didn't hurt you? I didn't mean to…"

"No, no don't think that, it was…really great Aliah…my…beautiful lady." He said, a shock of fear surging through him as he let the word out.  
'He …did he just say? Beautiful?...' she thought to herself. Quietly, she found herself smiling.

"Ok, good." she waited a bit, staring at his feet. "I wish we were back in the gazebo."  
"Me too." Loki answered.

They looked out across the camp, everyone but the patrol guards had gone to bed. They were alone they realized. Aliah knew she was going to have to get up, she couldn't sit here all night, she had to put her thoughts aside and take charge.  
She slowly moved her feet underneath her, and leaned forward, carefully she stood up, pulling Loki up behind her. She wrapped her arm around his waist, and led him slowly back to the tent, pulling the cord as they entered to lower the canvas door, enveloping them in total darkness away from everyone else.

She led Loki by feel to the side of the bed and sat of the edge kicking off her boots. "Take off your boots my prince." She said quietly.

She heard him lean over the bed and push his boots off. She reached out to him, seeing only his silhouette. She ran her hand down his side, feeling him in her hands; she stood back up and drew him close to her by his hand, barely touching him. She listened to him breathing, sensing him by smell and gentle touch only. It was so quiet out; she didn't want to disturb the quiet of the night, the sound of the fire crackling outside filling the air gently.

She slid her hand down to his stomach and slid his shirt up with both hands along his side. Gently she pushed it up over his head, letting it fall to the floor. Loki reached out and pushed off her robe and reached his hands around to her back, bringing her into a light embrace, his hands barely touching her.

They stood so close now, feeling their breath on each other, each desperately wanting to say something…anything.  
She pulled him back onto the bed, purposely leaving their pants intact. She gently coaxed him in front of her and lay back on the pillows. She stretched out her arm and pulled him into an embrace, his head leaning on her shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her stomach and let his hand rest on her arm. They buried their head into each other, rubbing their cheeks on the others skin just to feel the other close and intimately. She kissed his forehead and ran her lips around his hairline, smelling his hair and tasting him slightly.

They said nothing, neither one knew what to say, their silence speaking louder than any word or sentence could ever impart.

If they could have seen in the blackness, they would have seen the other blushing brightly in their emotion and fear. Neither one wanting the other to know the fear they felt. Their storms of emotion raged separately inside them, secretly knowing the other was a raging gale as well, but daring not to speak it into being.


	18. Chapter 18

Aliah's eyes popped open early the next morning as the sun came streaming over the tent. She was curled around Loki's sleeping form, arm thrown over his waist, her face buried in his short black hair. He smelled great somehow, even though she knew they should both shower.

She slid out from around him, careful to not wake him and tiptoed away from the bed. Waving her fingers she removed the dirt and sweat from yesterday and made a fresh dark purple outfit appear. Walking to the side of the bed she retrieved her boots and quietly walked outside.

Grabbing a chair from in front of the now dead fire, she walked over to the table and sat down, pulling on her boots once seated.

The camp was a bustle of activity. Guards were patrolling and people walked around everywhere. Servants were serving breakfast and washing dishes over in the mess tent.

Bjorn walked over to her and bowed politely.

'Good morning Bjorn." She said as she fiddled with her boot. "What's the plan today?" she asked.

"My lady," he started. "We will be taking a small group up to the gates with you, when you're ready of course, and demand to meet with the leaders. Once we draw them out, we can hold talks with the two representatives back here, we have a marquee set up ready to go." He stated.

"Sounds about right. Breakfast ready?" she asked.

"Almost, I will make sure you get a plate soon." He answered.

"Thank you." She said. "Where's that guard I had tail that weasel of an overseer?" she asked. "Make sure he reports to me immediately."

I will locate him now and send him over." Bjorn said, bowing before he turned to go.

She nodded and sat back to relax, watching the camp while she waited.

Shortly, a servant came over with a jug of juice and two plates of food. She dug in immediately, not wanting to wake Loki up unnecessarily.

She moved her eyes to the gate surrounded by strikers. She watched them pace back and forth between bites, watching the camp and talking amongst themselves. She knew this wasn't going to end well, and she quietly though of what she was going to say to Loki.

'Can't let him go up there. It's just too much of a risk. He's going to be pissed, but he'll get over it. He's going to have to. I can't take the chance, not with him.' She thought.

Shortly after she finished her plate a guard walked over and bowed.

"My lady, I have returned as requested." He said.

"And what did you find?" she asked.

"I followed Skuld after he left as instructed my lady. He went back to his house in the village. From what I can tell, he has no family, or close friends it seems. He did have a visitor; they talked quietly for a while before the man left. I noticed he stashed some items as well as a few large ledger books in a vault in his bedroom. It's hidden under a floorboard in the closet."

"Thank you. Well done, now I want you to wait until I get in there, and then you go back there and bring me anything in that hidden vault. Do you understand? Quietly, don't let anyone see you, now go." Aliah stated with a nod.

He bowed and left.

She sat there, her fingers raised to her mouth as she sat thinking.

'That little shit is hiding something, I just know it. There's more to this than it seems, I'll have to find out what. It'll have to wait until after the talks, this could turn out better than I thought.' She mused.

The flap turned aside and Loki walked out looking tired.

"Morning glory." Aliah called.

"Thank you for letting me sleep in a bit." Loki called. "I was not prepared to be that tired it seems." He said.

"It's no problem, just figuring out some last minute details here before I go out there." She said.

"I singular, as in not we?" Loki said as he poured a glass of juice and inspected the plate of food.

"This is going to get nasty." Aliah said simply.

"That's obvious." Loki answered between bites. "In fact, I'm pretty sure this is a trap." He added absentmindedly.

Aliah chuckled as she watched him eat, he was completely straight faced.

"Well, it's nice to know you're more observant than you let on." She said.

"Yes, I'm rather good at that." He answered with a grin.

Aliah narrowed her eyes at him and wondered what else he wasn't letting on about. She decided to listen to his thoughts more often once they got back.

"Well you can just be observant from here then since you like to keep things to yourself." She stated.

"That's really not going to work, and you know it." Loki answered.

"I know. But this is going to be potentially really dangerous and I just can't take the chance that you'll get hurt. I'd never see the sun again if you were to get killed so you're just going to have to wait here alright?" she said.

"unacceptable." He said.

"Loki, look..."

"No, you look, I'm not letting you go alone and that's final. I'm far more capable than you think and besides, my concealment powers may come in handy if needed." He stated.

Aliah gritted her teeth and watched him from across the table. She knew she couldn't stop him if he really wanted to go. He would just turn invisible and follow her anyway; at least by letting him go he would be easy to keep an eye on. If he was wandering around invisible in there, or worse, in some other form he would be impossible to keep tabs on.

"Gods dammit Loki. You fucking stay right beside me ok? I mean it, is that clear?"

"Absolutely. I swear to you I will not leave your side, ever my lady." He answered.

"Good." She said….'wait...what's that supposed to mean?' she thought when his last bit registered.

'Later...I don't have time now to think about this.' She thought.

As soon as Loki was done they stood up and prepared themselves. Aliah waved her hand and made sure her hair was done up and her makeup perfect. She waved a hand over Loki next and he was fresh and clean.

"Are we ready then?" Aliah asked him.

"As ready as ever." Loki answered.

"Alright then." She said as she waved her hand and the small gold circlet with two gold horns appeared in her hands.

"Why have I never seen that?" Loki asked.

"Eh, yeah. Got to make it look good ya know. Official crap and all that. Makes me look like I have more authority. It also makes a great target, so there's that." She said.

"I like it. It's quite fetching on you. Especially the horns. I must get one for myself." Loki smiled.

"We're not getting a matching set Loki." She said.

"Oh no, my horns will be bigger." He stated simply.

Aliah just smirked at him. "Of course they would be." She said quickly.

She put on the circlet and made sure it was straight before walking over to the staging area.

Aliah stopped and turned to Loki, she reached out took hold of his arm tightly. "Stick beside me, I mean it." She said firmly.

"Of course." Loki said as he raised his hands in surrender. "I swear." He added. She let his arm go and continued over to where Bjorn and ten guards were standing. They were at the edge of camp watching the gates and bowed as they walked up.

"My lady," Bjorn called. If you are ready?" he asked.

"Let's do this." She answered.

Aliah walked ahead toward the gate, Loki following close behind her. Behind Loki, the company of guards closely followed with Bjorn among them. She reached the gate and stopped.

Looking up she took in the men standing above her as they all stopped and looked down.

She stood up straight and placed her hands on her hips, her legs spread wide.

"Alright, I'm here. Now which one of you is the leader?" she called out in a loud voice.

"I am." Called a man as he stepped forward and looked at her.

"Are you prepared to talk this out? I would prefer to discuss this civilly. We have a place prepared at my camp. Come out and I guarantee no one will touch you." She said.

"No deal. The minute I set foot outside I'm sure you'll arrest me and anyone else. You come in here and talk with us, where its safe." He answered.

"And how do I know you won't just kill me?" she said.

"We're not here to hurt anyone, were only trying to make things better for us. We're not stupid enough to do anything rash. I give you my word." He answered.

Bjorn walked ahead and whispered in her ear. "My lady, this is not wise, we can't agree to..."

"I accept." Aliah cut him off.

"Now, open up and let us in." she called.

"No way. Just you, we can't take the chance of any guards slaughtering us as soon as the gate is down." He said.

Aliah waited and considered his words.

"I give you my word my lady, no one will harm you." the man called out.

"I'm bringing in my associate with me, deal?" she said.

"Deal, open the gate." He called.

She turned around and looked at the guards.

"My lady, you cannot go in there alone." Bjorn said in alarm.

"I won't be alone, Loki's going with me." She answered.

"My lady, I must protest." Bjorn answered.

Aliah raised her hand to silence him.

"This is the way it has to be Bjorn, don't worry about me. I can take care of this ok? Men, move back and leave Loki and I here." She called.

The guards looked at each other and nodded finally. They slowly turned around and moved back to the edge of camp.

Loki and Aliah were left alone in front of the gate as it was unblocked from inside. They could hear the unmistakable sound of large stones and logs being moved to open up for them.

Loki and Aliah glanced at each other and grinned to one another.

"You know this is going to get bad." Aliah said to him.

"I know. Don't worry, I'll be right here my lady." Loki answered.

She chuckled quietly. Remind me to whip you when we get back." She said smiling.

"Oh I do hope so." Loki said.

The gate swung open and the leader appeared.

"My lady, this way." He called.

Aliah nodded and she walked forward, Loki close on her heels. They walked through the gate and it swung shut as soon as they were through.

A group of men started barricading the gate again. Everywhere people were standing around with axes and shovels, dirty worn faces shown out from tattered clothing and worn shoes.

The leader from the gate bowed before her, his face thin and dirty. He was covered in scars and had the only pair of work boots that didn't seem to be in jeopardy of falling apart.

"My lady, I am Tufi, if you'll follow me, we can go inside out of this heat." He said.

"Take us into the offices if you please." Aliah said.

He nodded and led the way.

They walked into the great stone mine, the path wound down into the earth and they slowly descended. The tunnels had been formed from the axes and picks of centuries of labor. It resembled a great scar that ran deep into the mouth of the earth. Torches and lamps lit the way from niches in the walls, the light was dim but once their eyes got used to it they could see fairly well.

They turned a corner finally and came to a large door, as Tufi opened it she looked in and surveyed the room. A large table was inside surrounded by file cabinets and chalk boards. Two doors leading off to other parts of the mine and office waited inside.

"This will be fine, bring your people. Let's get this worked out shall we?" she said.

Tufi nodded and walked back out.

Aliah and Loki walked inside and stood beside the table looking around.

"This is depressing." Loki said taking in the scene. "How can they stand being surrounded by this constantly?" he asked.

"You'd be surprised what you get used to when there are no other options." She answered.

A low rumbling sounded and they looked around. It sounded like a thunderstorm in the distance. Aliah looked at the walls and felt a slight tremor growing, from far away. It slowly increased until it felt like the walls and floor were vibrating.

The sound got louder and Aliah looked towards the door.

Time slowed down, in an instant Aliah saw a puff of smoke billow out from under the entry door. the rumbling became violently loud and she knew what was about to happen.

Aliah reached out and grabbed Loki by the scruff of his coat, "LOKI GET DOWN!" she screamed, as she threw him to the ground under the table. The door exploded inward, blasting a concussive wave across them. Aliah dove under the table on top of Loki as a shield against the rock and splinters of wood that exploded around them, slamming them towards the wall.

The roar of the explosion rang in their ears and they were showered in sparks and sharp rock. The explosion rocked all around them, making the place seem like it would collapse any second.

Aliah held onto Loki tightly, pressed up against the wall under the table, all she could do was shield his body with her own.

The rumbling subsided slowly, and Aliah looked up. The room was destroyed, the door had been blown inward, it lay in pieces on the floor everywhere, dust and ash filled the room making it hard to breathe. She sputtered and coughed as she eased up from Loki underneath her. He looked up from below her and grabbed for her arms.

"ARE YOU OKAY?" he yelled, frantic to inspect her back. He was certain she would be bleeding from some debris blown her way. He clawed at her and forced her down, inspecting her back for any damage.

"No, I'm ok, its fine." Aliah said.

"ARE YOU SURE?" he demanded. Loki saw the back of her robe was ripped and torn all over, a few scrapes and cuts shown out from her back as they slowly oozed a small trickle of blood.

"You're bleeding!" he said in a panicked tone.

"No, it's…fine…ouch, yeah guess I am." She said finally.

They looked towards the door and saw rubble tumbling from the collapsed roof, blocking the door and sealing them in.

Loki got up and helped her to her feet. "You're hurt, I have to do something." He said holding onto her.

"No, it's fine here look." She said as she waved her hand, the bleeding stopped but the scars still remained.

She looked up at him and stared into his eyes. "It's ok, I swear, I'm fine. Okay?" she said.

Loki nodded finally and pulled her into his arms. "Thank you." He said after a while.

Aliah nodded against his chest and patted his back reassuringly.

"Loki... I can't ...breathe...mphmmmh." She said.

Loki released her from the crushing hug as he finally realized he was holding onto her far too tightly.

"Ah, yes…sorry." He said.

She smiled at him and winked, making him show a relieved look eventually.

They looked around and brushed themselves off to no avail, they were coated in dust and dirt from head to toe.

"Well you wanted some adventure. Here ya go, how's this suit ya?" she said.

"I take it all back." Loki answered looking alarmed.

"Aw come on, just when it's getting good." She answered with a grin.

"You gotta loosen up handsome. You knew something like this was a possibility. First lesson in diplomacy, always prepare for the unexpected." She said with a grin.

"That way, no one can get one over on ya, because you'll just be expecting it." She said.

"Something tells me you knew we should come to this room didn't you?" Loki said.

"Oh yes." Aliah answered. "I wasn't about to be in a room without another way out, and that's why I asked to be brought here." She said.

They walked through the rubble over to one of the other doors. Aliah opened the first and saw it led further into the offices.

"Come on, let's check this place for anything important. Open any drawer and tell me if you see anything." She said.

They searched around the rooms and opened every cabinet and drawer. They found nothing but papers and work orders. Files held more papers and information on workers. She pulled out a file and inspected it. Page after page detailed injury claims from various accidents. All were marked with a stamp that read 'denied' in red ink.

She pulled another and another and saw the same repeated in every one.

"Every damn one of these is filled with reports of workers being injured and then denied any help." She said to Loki.

"That doesn't surprise me." Loki answered. "I think you'll find this interesting my lady." He called.

She put down the files and walked over to him. Loki had opened the overseer's desk and looked down into a drawer he had pulled out. As she came over, he pointed to the bottom of the drawer. Aliah looked in and saw loose papers and junk in the deep drawer.

They looked at each other and smirked.

"Yeah, nice try overseer. What an amateur attempt at a false floor." She said.

Loki reached in and pulled out the bottom of the drawer revealing the hidden area at the bottom.

Large ledger books looked back at them. Aliah reached in and pulled them out, laying them on the desk she opened the cover and inspected them quickly.

"Well, well," she said. "Looks like our good overseer was skimming off the top. Such a shame, he seemed like such a nice honest man don't you think?" Aliah smirked.

"Oh yes, such a delightful man." Loki grinned.

Aliah waved her hands and the books disappeared.

They searched around the room a bit more, moving all the pictures and looking for more hidden drawers but found nothing. Finally they went back the other way and searched for another door leading anywhere.

They came back to the first room and made for the other door, before they could reach it, it flew open revealing three men.

They men stared at them with wide eyes and said nothing. Quietly Loki slipped his hand to the dagger, ready for anything.

"My lady Aliah?" they finally said.

"Yes, what's the meaning of all this?" she said.

The men stared at her silently, their mouths falling open in surprise.

"TELL ME!" she demanded.

"My lady! I'm so sorry," the lead one said. "I swear to you, this wasn't our fault, we had no idea this would happen! We didn't do this!"

Aliah stood up straight and planted her feet firmly. "If you didn't do this, then who did? What's going on around here, I swear to you if you don't tell me ill nail every one of you to the walls of this mine."

They fell to their knees and stared up at her. "I swear to you, I have no idea, we just went to the lockers to change before coming here. We just wanted to be at least a little cleaner before seeing you. We heard the explosion and came back up, the others were already in the meeting room waiting for you to arrive when we slipped out." He said.

"So, we weren't expected to be here is that right?" Aliah asked.

The men nodded in agreement. "no my lady, we had prepared a meeting chamber just inside the entrance for you, we only wanted you here because if you had not come overseer Skuld would have just continued to ignore our pleas. He is a terrible man, he ignores our needs and works us 14 hour shifts, and we don't even get a day off anymore. We work harder than ever before and make no more than a slave. We couldn't bear this anymore, we used to take pride in our work but since he's taken over things have become unbearable. Please forgive us lady Aliah."

Aliah looked at Loki and winked; he smiled back at her and flashed her a knowing grin easing up from the hold on his dagger.

"Alright men, I believe you. It looks like we were all ambushed here, so if you swear to me you had no part in this, I will pardon you." She said.

"My lady I swear to you, we had no part in this, we only wanted to improve our families lives, I swear it!" he said.

"Alright guys, well I'm sure there's a back way out right?" Aliah asked.

"Yes my lady, it will take a while but it should be clear. We only use it as an air shaft anymore, and when we want to sneak out for a break of course." He said.

"What are your names?" Aliah asked.

"Toki my lady, this is Sven, and this is Thain." He said.

"Well then, I suggest we get going before the guards at my camp swarm your gates like mad hornets." Aliah said with a smile.

They slowly rose and bowed before her. She waved them ahead and Loki and Aliah fell in step behind them.

It took a good two hours but they finally smelled the fresh air up ahead and came out into a blinding light. They were somewhere on the far east side of the mines, near the village.

They stood there in the sun, blinking and readjusting their eyes to the light for a bit before walking back around towards the entrance.

As they rounded the side of the mine they saw a scene of chaos. The guards were massed at the walls and were attacking in full force. The miners were hurling rocks and debris in a desperate attempt to defend their positions while Aliah's guards were attacking back with full force, archers were sending volleys of arrows over the wall and a battering ram was being readied to destroy the gate.

The most interesting scene however was overseer Skuld, at the back of the troops screaming orders. The frenzied man was standing on top of a table demanding the men work faster to finish the ram so they could launch a full assault on the mine.

"Huh, look at that will you Loki?" Aliah said to him

"Ah yes, looks as if the weasel thinks he's in charge now." He said.

Aliah turned to the three miners and leveled a serious look at them. "You men, thank you for leading us out, you wait here now and stay out of sight. I promise you nothing will happen to you alright?" she said.

"Yes my lady, thank you, bless you my lady." They said.

"I will call on you when this is over, keep your eye out and come to me when I call understand?" she said.

They nodded their response to her and bowed respectfully.

Aliah nodded to them and led Loki a few steps away as the men turned and ducked behind some rocks to hide.

"Alright Loki, let's see if we can't get rid that weasel." Aliah grinned

"Oh with pleasure my lady." Loki answered with an evil grin.

Aliah held out her hand towards Loki and they clasped hands. She waved her fingers and went invisible. Loki stood there for a second holding an invisible hand before he too went invisible.

They walked over to the middle of the skirmish and stood beside overseer Skuld. The weasel of a man was screaming obscenities at the guards, demanding they work faster.

"Come on you! We must get in there! Now dammit! I want those gates down! I am in charge here now! You will do as I say! Work faster!" he screamed.

"And who put you in charge?" Aliah yelled.

Skuld turned round and looked out over everyone.

"Who said that?" he screamed.

"Aliah is dead! I am in charge here now, you will follow my orders as you did her or I will have you all flogged!" he screamed.

Aliah appeared in front of him just then. Skuld screamed in surprise and turned to run away.

Loki appeared before him as he turned, his dagger clutched in his hand. Calmly Loki raised the dagger to the man's throat while he grabbed his shirt with the other, he stood there happily threatening the weasel with a wide toothy grin.

"I suggest you surrender before I have to cut your throat." Loki said calmly.

"Ah, what? The mine caved in, you're all dead!" Skuld whined.

"Yes, EX-OVERSEER, I'm sure you had it planned that way, but sadly, I'm not so easy to kill." Aliah said to the man in calm voice.

Skuld's eyes went wide and his mouth dropped open in panic.

"My lady! Oh your safe oh how wonderful!" he said.

"Can it worm, I know what you've been doing here, your times up. Don't make it worse on yourself." She said.

"GUARDS! SEIZE THIS MAN! STOP THIS ATTACK AT ONCE!" Aliah screamed.

The guards turned and looked at her from all around. They immediately stopped their attack and returned to the camp. They seized Skuld and held him before her, spears and swords leveled towards him.

"Overseer Skuld, you are under arrest for the attempted murder of my person as well as the prince Loki. In addition, you are guilty of inciting a riot, denying the human rights of your workers as well as embezzling money." Aliah said to everyone.

"MY LADY! I HAVE DONE NO SUCH THING!" he screamed.

"TOKI! SVEN! THAIN!" Aliah called and watched as the three men came running over to them.

They bowed before her and kept their eyes to the ground.

"Guards, where is Bjorn?" she asked.

"Here my lady!" he called, running from one of the tents, bowing before her as he reached her.

"What's happened at the mine?" Aliah asked.

"There was an explosion my lady. We imagined you had been killed, the leader of the miners along with his delegation were killed as well. As soon as the bomb went off, Skuld came over and informed us of the news, he demanded control and ordered everyone to attack." Bjorn said.

"Yes well things don't always go as planned do they?" Aliah said. She waved her hands as the ledger books appeared before her. "These are the ledger books I found hidden in Skuld's desk. I think you'll find they show a surprising discrepancy in the profits being reported. I have no doubt that he was the one who set the bomb as well." Aliah said.

Bjorn took the ledger books and immediately set to inspecting them. Aliah turned to the three men and spoke to them. "You three, your leader as well as the rest of the negotiating committee has unfortunately been killed in the explosion. I think you would now make an excellent overseer don't you think?" she said.

The three men looked up in alarm. "My lady?" they said.

"Yes you three, you Toki, I now place you as overseer of these mines and your two friends are your assistants. Make sure you make this mine a decent place to work, and no longer a piggybank for personal interest. If you cheat me as Skuld did I will know, and I will come back and level this place and your village to the last child, understand?" Aliah said.

"My lady, yes of course, we would never." They said as they fell to the ground in respect.

"Come on, follow me up here." She said.

The four of them walked to the gate and stood before the people on the walls.

"Overseer Skuld has been removed. He has been embezzling money from me and enslaving you for his own personal gain. He also set the bomb in an attempt to destroy your efforts to organize your workers as well as myself. I have placed these good men from among your own ranks as new overseer. Do you accept them?" she called.

The men on the walls cheered loudly and called out to her their approval.

"If you open your gates, we can discuss raises and better conditions with your new overseer in a decent manner." Aliah called out.

"What about Skuld?" they called back.

"Overseer Skuld will be crucified here in front of your gate, a lesson to anyone who would ever treat you in such a fashion in the future." She answered.

The workers went silent as Skuld was dragged from behind at her words by two guards. He started screaming and struggling before she waved her hands and a muzzle appeared instantly silencing him.

The workers cheered and the gates flew open. Toki and the two other men turned to her and knelt before her in reverence.

"Oh, my lady! I thank you! Thank you for saving us from his tyranny!" Toki said.

"yes, yes, your welcome, now why don't you let your people get to work clearing all this away before you come meet me in camp to discuss better conditions for you all?" she said.

"My lady, of course!" Toki said as he and the others rose. They turned and walked over to their friends who were coming out of the gate. They cheered him and slapped each other on the backs, smiling widely to each other.

Aliah turned to Skuld who was flanked by the two guards on either side.

"You got too greedy Skuld." Aliah said calmly. "Too bad, next time, you'll know better than to fuck with me." She said.

Aliah took a step towards the camp before turning around again to look back at them.

"Crucify him, also, cut off his eyelids. Let him see all the men he abused until he slowly dies." Aliah called out.

The guards bowed and turned to face Skuld who screamed loudly even from behind the muzzle, his eyes wide as dinner plates. They reached out and grabbed him before she turned and walked away from the scene.


	19. Chapter 19

"So we agree, excellent. Now, if you'll just sign here….and here…..and here again. Yes that's good. Excellent." Aliah said quickly standing up and extending her hand towards the man seated before her.

"Welcome to the upper-class overseer Toki. I think you'll find your new power to make your people’s lives infinitely better to be a welcome burden." She said.

Toki stood up from the other side of the table and shook hands with Aliah. A wide smile was on his face as he then bowed respectfully towards her.

"My lady! Thank you so much for helping us! I swear to you, I will do the best job I possibly can, I will have those reports for you every week as we agreed." Toki said.

"I know dear boy, I know you will. Now please, go with my advisor Bjorn here and he will instruct you on a few more details. Oh and also, you are now in possession of the overseer's house in town as well. Please, feel free to do as you please with it and its contents." Aliah said with a smile.

"Thank you my lady." Toki said as he turned away.

Aliah waved her arm towards Bjorn indicating to Toki and his two assistants to follow him, the men nodded again quickly and walked away with Bjorn towards his tent.

She sat back down and relaxed in her chair, examining the papers her new overseer had just signed. She read them over and over as a smile crept onto her face.

Loki sauntered over just then; back from a break he had excused himself to only a short while ago. He had a flask of wine in his hand and two glasses in the other.

Flopping himself down into the chair that was recently occupied by the new overseer, Loki busied himself with uncorking the bottle in his hands.

"I take it everything went your way again my lady?" Loki asked with a smile as he fiddled with the screw.

"Of course." She said, still flipping through the papers on the table.

"So, tell me, did you expect to profit as much as you did or was that just a bonus from this whole deal?" Loki asked.

"Well, my dear, I honestly didn't expect this good of a turnout. I knew it would be good sure, but this? Oh, truly this was far above even my expectations." Aliah answered.

Loki nodded as a huge grin graced his face. He finally just shook his head and glanced at Aliah with a face of pure admiration.  
"My lady, if I didn't know better, I would almost think you were behind inciting the workers to revolt in the first place." 

Aliah grinned. "Ah, no I'm not that good, this just happened on its own. I just seized the opportunity to capitalize on it." Aliah said with a grin.

"humph." Loki said smiling as the cork made a mall ‘pop’. Reaching out, he poured two glasses of wine and gave Aliah one. He pulled the chair over and sat close beside her.

"To you my lady, your business prowess is unmatched in all the nine realms." Loki said, raising a glass to her.

Aliah clinked her glass against his and took a drink.

"Ah yes, well, a good intelligence network is invaluable to any ruler." Aliah said quietly.

They smirked at each other and watched the delegation leave Bjorn's tent across the camp. The three men headed out finally walking back towards the village, obviously making for Toki's new house to inspect and raid it properly.  
Away in the distance a lone guard was walking back from the village and Aliah spotted him immediately.

"Ah, well if you'll excuse me Loki, I must see the facilities." She said as she rose. "Keep the wine chilled." She added.  
Loki just smirked and waved her away.  
\--------------------------------------------------------------

Aliah walked towards the bathrooms that had been hastily erected and paused behind a large tent that was between her and Loki especially, but the rest of the camp as well. She looked out towards the approaching guard and nodded to him. He nodded back slightly but kept walking forward. She went to the bathrooms and came out the other side. The guard had doubled back and was waiting for her quietly.

"My lady, this was all that was in the hidden vault, as you asked." He said handing her a moderately sized box made of stone. A great lock of iron held it shut.

"Thank you guard, good work." Aliah said as she nodded.

When he was gone, Aliah sat the box on the ground and waved her hand in front of it. The lock fell off the stone box and she reached out to open the lid and looked inside. Some ledger books looked back at her as well as a large bag of gold and a small black box. She grabbed the box and opened it. Inside a small palm sized blue jewel winked back at her. It had a life inside of it that swirled and pulsed with a blue light. She grinned to herself and waved her hand making it disappear immediately.  
Waving her hand again, the box disappeared and she took the contents back to the table where Loki waited and sat down.

"What do you have there?" Loki asked.

"It's the ledgers from Skuld's house. Also his entire life savings. Not much really when you think about it, the poor fool." Aliah said absentmindedly.

"And why is that? I take it those books prove he was embezzling?" Loki asked.

"Oh, probably. But no one will ever see them, since I made sure my books were off anyway. That's all the proof that was needed, like I need proof anyway in this situation." She said with a grin.  
Loki sat back and raised his hand to his mouth. A sly grin caressed his face, he studied her for a minute and finally took another drink of his wine.

"My lady, you are truly magnificent." He said finally.

"Thank you handsome. I do try." She answered.

'I wonder if I should tell him I set the bomb on the way in?' she thought quietly. It had been a simple matter; the small charge was easily placed on the wall when they walked in behind the now deceased ring leader. No one had seen her, she had merely brushed against the wall as they walked, and stuck it to the stone as she passed by.

Loki poured more wine into their glasses and sat back with her again. They relaxed and drank their wine letting their legs brush against each other, watching the camp move about its work as the light faded from the sky. Across the camp the sound of crying and moaning could still be heard from Skuld, he was still hanging on to life from his position on the post that had been made from the unused battering ram.

His unblinking eyes were covered in dried blood and sweat and he was almost to the point of being unable to shove himself up by his hands and feet. He was exhausted from the effort of shoving his weight up with every breath, the spikes in his feet and wrists made sure the blood never stopped trickling out, ever so slowly.

She listened for his moans and smiled every time he let one out. She looked back at Loki beside her and chuckled. She flashed a little wink to him that made Loki chuckle to himself.

Loki watched her head turn towards the dying man and he saw her smile with every cry he made, it made his heart soar, she was enjoying his misery so much and it lit up her face with a fire. He loved how she looked when she tortured them, she was truly alive when she was scheming, he desired her so much when she was like this, it was so very intoxicating to him. The power, the true lust she had coursing through her, he desired that power over others as well, he imagined making some idiot bully like his brother he had to endure back home groan and bleed on that cross, he could almost taste it. He put the thought out of his head, he hated and loved his brother and the thought only distracted him from enjoying the moment. For now, he was content with that pathetic little man being broken, he would worry about home later, so much later.

A servant came over to start a cheery fire off to the side of them. They watched the servant coax the fire into being, nodding when he was done. They picked up their chairs and sat down in front of it, enjoying the warmth it gave off in the chilly air. They sat quietly enjoying the sights around them and the feel of one another beside them.

Aliah reached over and took Loki's hand in her own, pulling it gently over to her. She sat and examined it, tracing the lines of his veins with her finger. She suddenly felt a wave of fatigue roll over her. It had been a long day, they had walked for hours to get out of the mines. The scars on her back ached now that she was relaxed and the dinner sitting in her belly weighed heavily on her. Still, she sat there feeling Loki's soft skin and she smiled sweetly, not wanting the moment to end.  
Loki watched her, staring at his hand, every caress sending shivers up his arm. He saw how her eyes were intent as she examined him. She moved her hand to his wrists and slowly unbuckled his arm bracer, letting it fall to the ground before them. She pushed up his sleeve slightly and traced her fingers up the inside of his arm, the delicate sensitive skin on the inside easily showing his veins underneath. They fascinated her, his skin was so pale and soft. She saw the goose bumps rise slightly as she trailed over him. She could almost feel the electric jolts in her own body as they raced across his at her touch.

It was all so sensual, Loki's flesh in her hands, so supple, so willing. Across the camp, Skuld moaned in agony, the air was full of the smell of campfires, the stars above them winked brightly, it was a perfect night. The entire experience made her heady with power and joy.

She raised his hand to her lips and kissed the palm of his hand, she trailed her tongue down and gently bit the meat of his palm letting his hand cover her face. She turned his hand over and ran the back of his hand down her cheek, feeling his long fingers and large knuckles trail down her face. She kissed his hand here and there as she went. She made him run his thumb over her bottom lip kissing it gently occasionally.

Loki kept his eyes ahead, looking over at her intermittently. The blush he felt rise in him kept him rooted to the spot. He was covered in goose bumps, her touch driving him mad, but he had no idea what to do but let her keep doing it, he hoped she didn't stop anytime soon. It was a wonderful torture. He felt his member spring to life, he should have been embarrassed but no one was around but her, he was sure she already saw it engorge under his long shirt. He looked down and watched her pants slightly moving at her movements. The thin fabric showed her muscles, long and strong just beneath the surface. Her kneecap was suddenly so very erotic to him.

Aliah suddenly pulled him closer, wrapping her arm around his bicep, running her hand over his arm and hand in her lap. She traced his veins still, feeling them soft and delicate against her fingers. Loki opened his palm and felt her leg, gently running his fingers against it, he traced her kneecap with his middle finger. The fabric was so soft, her legs so strong and yet gentle at his touch.

"I set the bomb." Aliah said in a whisper towards his ear.

Loki glanced over at her carefully. Their eyes met cautiously. Aliah waited for him to react, waited to see him get angry or do anything but what he did.

Loki grinned and glanced down at her legs, he took in her entire form, her legs spread wide, and he imagined he could feel the heat from her womanhood. His maleness responded quietly, her words had made him so hard now.

He raised their hands to his lips and kissed her fingers, slowly moving to the back of her hand.

"You are magnificent." He said between kisses.

Aliah leaned her head back feeling the tiredness creep through her heavily. She was at ease with him, she found it odd how he wasn't repulsed by her actions. Her words had not frightened him, but rather had emboldened him. She understood then that Loki truly loved the rush that power and knowledge bestowed on a person. One day soon, she thought, he would take what he would learn with her and use it as best he could, to hopefully gain the throne. And when that day came, she thought, she would come to him and be beside him.

She had no idea how to accomplish that idea yet, so she pushed the thought aside for later.

Aliah stood up and walked quietly back to the tent leading Loki away from the fire.  
Loki grinned wickedly as he followed behind.

They walked into the tent and kicked off their boots beside the bed. Aliah pulled Loki to her and lay back on the pillows. She pulled him down on top of her and he gladly fell into her arms.

He ground his hips into her and leaned over to run his lips over her neck, trailing his tongue as he went. He licked and sucked gently as he moved down her neck, moaning softly as he went in his heat. Loki moved down gently and unbuttoned her robe. Pushing aside the fabric, he gently cupped her breast and trailed his tongue down for her soft mounds. He gently ran his lips over her flesh, feeling her heartbeat as a steady rhythm under her chest. He was almost to her nipple, ready to devour it in his mouth…when he stopped.

Loki looked back up to Aliah and saw that she had fallen asleep. She was gently snoring, her lips parted in blind faith as sleep drowned her in its embrace.

"Oh damn." Loki said quietly. He laid there on her, watching her face as she slept. Her soft snoring was so endearing to him just then. He watched her chest rise and fall with her light breaths. He sighed finally and gently raised himself above her, lying to the side of her he settled in to watch her without disturbing her. She was exhausted and he decided to not wake her. Loki rolled off the other side of the bed and removed his clothes, he gently returned to her side and watched her, running his hands down himself he quietly finished himself off, careful to not disturb her. He made sure to not make a sound at his release, afterwards he threw the towel to the floor and curled around her, burying his head in her still half-dressed chest and listened to her heart beat.  
Loki fell asleep to the sound of it beating in his ears and dreamed of great chasms opening up beneath him as he fell down, down, down, into the black depths beneath.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Somewhere in the night Aliah woke up. She rolled over and saw Loki asleep, he had rolled away but had his back pressed up firmly against her. She carefully got out of bed and removed her robes, watching him sleep so peacefully made her remember she had started something earlier, but she quickly realized she had fallen asleep. She was too tired still to worry about it. She crawled back in beside him and spooned around behind him. She ran her hand down him, feeling his stomach and arms, finally running her hand down his firm ass and thighs. She drank in the feel of his flesh under her hand. His skin was so soft and supple; his muscles just below the skin gave the only hard feel to him. He was so skinny but being so tall and lanky, it wasn't out of place. Still, she decided to feed him more knowing it probably wouldn't put any weight on him anyway, his metabolism was too high, and he was just made to be tall and thin.

She quickly thought about the gem now in her possession, she could take it out right now and finally get the answer she had been searching for. She seriously considered it, but now that she thought about it, she decided she didn't want to know just yet. She pushed the thought aside and let sleep take her again with Loki in her embrace. She buried her head into his neck and breathed him in, letting herself imagine a sweet dream of him always being there beside her.

________________________________________

"Aliah, my lady, wake up beautiful." Loki said.

"What? Ungghhhhh. What?" Aliah answered back faintly.

"Aliah, my lady, breakfast, it's getting late. You slept in, but we must be up now." Loki said quietly as he brushed his lips against her cheek.

"Yes, I'm up. I'll be right there." She said wearily. Loki smiled and walked back out the tent, closing the flap behind him.

She sat up and looked around, outside the sounds of tents being dismantled rang out. She waved a hand and was dressed and clean. She pulled on her boots and staggered outside.  
Loki was at the table pouring a large glass of juice for her. He turned around and smiled at her.

"You were very tired my lady. Forgive me for waking you." He said sitting back down.

"No, thank you I shouldn't have slept in." she answered.

"No, you needed it. Yesterday was a long day, your scars look better today." He said.

"Oh, yes I forgot. Thank you." She said as she waved her hand. The scars hidden under her robe disappeared, unseen by anyone.

She sat down and tried to wake up, she was still very groggy and vaguely remembered shadows from the night before.  
"You should eat, it will help." Loki coaxed.  
"Yes, ah, thanks." She said as she dug into the food.  
All around them the tents were almost packed up and guards walked around doing little jobs to get ready. A few servants came over and bowed; Loki nodded to them and pointed to their tent. They bowed back and set to tearing it down behind them.  
Loki and Aliah sat quietly, her eating and him watching the workers. Bjorn walked over from the main tent and bowed before her.  
"My lady…"

"Please, don't nag me this early, let me wake up first." Aliah cut him off.

"Ah….yes…" he trailed off as he turned quickly and walked away.  
"Ugh," Aliah grunted.

Loki snickered to himself and watched her eat, enjoying her healthy appetite.

She looked at him from over her forkful of food and grinned. "You're in a good mood today." She said.

"Well, I did have a long nights sleep." He answered.

"Oh….yes...sorry about that. I didn't realize I was so tired." She said quietly.  
"Oh not to worry, I'm sure I'll make up for it somehow." He winked.

Aliah grinned at him and nodded, shoving another forkful of food in her mouth.

"Ah, I don't want to go back. Can't we go somewhere and hide from everyone for a while?" Loki asked.  
"Actually," Aliah answered, "I was thinking the same thing. It's so depressing here and I really don't feel like going back to the grind just yet. What do you say we run off away from everyone?" Aliah asked with a grin.  
"Are you serious? Could we?" he asked with a hopeful face.

"No, suck it up." She teased.

"Aw!" Loki pouted. "You're so evil." He added.

Aliah laughed loudly and took a great gulp of juice quickly.

"I'm only joking, yes let's send the group back and you and I can take a little break. I think we earned it after yesterday don't you think my prince?" she said.

"Humph," Loki snorted. "No, I think I changed my mind, I'd much rather go back to my books and boredom thank you." He teased.  
They grinned at each other and laughed quietly to themselves.

As soon as they finished eating servants came to take down the table and chairs. Bjorn walked back over to them and bowed again.

"Yes Bjorn, I feel better, now you can annoy me all you wish." She said to him.

"Ah, well thank you my lady. Everything is almost ready. We can move out once the last bit is packed." He said.

"Thank you Bjorn, I will be sending you and everyone else ahead. Loki and I will be taking a small excursion. I have some business to attend to, we should return in a day or so." She said.  
Bjorn bowed and said a simple, "As you wish my lady." As he walked away.

"Well that was easy." Loki said.

"Yes well, we're capable of taking care of ourselves." She grinned at him.

Loki blushed slightly but quickly thought there was no way she knew what he did last night and calmed down. He quickly grinned back at her and chuckled slightly.

Aliah turned and looked out at the camp watching the men work. She had seen Loki act oddly for a second and quickly figured he had helped himself last night. She found it amusing and oddly sweet. She smiled to herself and let the thought pass.  
A little time away from the castle was just what they needed. She wanted to go somewhere with green grass and tall trees, anywhere but this dead ugly land. The sight of it all brought back the sweet memory of the night in the gazebo. She wanted more of that. The campfires and sitting out under the stars reminded her of that night and she thought how nice it would be to go back there more when they returned. For now, time alone with Loki and no worries or demands would be wonderful.

She also wanted to see what the gem would show her and she wanted to be anywhere but home when she used it. Somehow she didn't want to know the answer it would reveal. As if the knowledge would taint the place they now lived together in. she wanted that answer to be far away from anywhere she usually occupied.

She suddenly thought of a perfect place they could go and she smiled. Looking over at Loki she grinned and winked at him. She grabbed his hand and giggled mischievously. "Come on you, let's get this moving, I want to get to our retreat." She said.  
Loki smiled widely and followed where she led.

Aliah walked around the camp and found Ulfr, tending the horses and readying for their departure.

"Ulfr, how much longer?" she asked.

"Any time my lady. I hear you were very successful here. I take it things worked out as you planned?" he said with a grin.

"As always." She smiled. "Ulfr, we will be taking a detour after we leave. Loki and I will be along until Valbridge and then we shall break away, he and I will be taking a break for a day or so. Please continue on with the rest and we shall see you when we get back." She said.

"As you wish my lady." He said simply.

The call sounded out and the guards mounted their horses. "Ready to leave!" the captain called out.

Aliah and Loki mounted their horses and grinned to each other.

"I take it you have somewhere in mind my lady?" Loki asked.

"Oh yes," she said, "we shall have a very nice time, just you and I my dear." She said.

"I can't wait." Loki said behind a wide grin, his perfect teeth flashing in the sun."

As they walked over towards the horses to get ready to leave, Aliah quickly glanced over to the man nailed to the post. Somewhere In the night he had finally ran out of strength to push himself up for every breath and had expired. His hair fluttered in the soft wind but nothing else moved.  
She quietly smiled to herself and continued walking towards the horses. Loki noticed her gaze and the smile that followed, quietly inside of him, he found himself enjoying how she handled things. he wondered at the plans she had for a 'retreat' for the both of them, but let nothing show on his face.


	20. The Reckoning

“There we are” Aliah breathed, as the soft sounds of hooves were muted by the dense grass beneath them. 

Coming over the last ridge Loki and Aliah stopped and sat there looking out towards the wide sea in front of them and breathed in the salty sea air. Aliah looked over to Loki and saw a faint smile on his lips.

"This is what you had in mind? " Loki said with a faraway look.

"Come on." Aliah said as she jumped down from the horse. “At least we are away from all the others for a change.”

“Indeed.” Loki replied.

Loki dismounted the black mare and took the reins in his hand, guiding the great beast towards the shore. A fresh breeze blew from far out and he found eh was glad to be away from everyone for a time.  
Aliah kept her eyes on the horizon, far away as the line between the sea and the sky met and tried to clear her mind of her true feelings. they walked together down the sandy beach for a time before finally stopping and tying their horses to a great windswept tree beside the dune and walked closer to the shore.

"It has been a long time since I've let myself relax beside the ocean. I remember swimming here as a very young child." Aliah said to him.

"I admit I have never been to the ocean before my lady." Loki said to her.

They smiled at each other and quickly kicked off their boots, and walked along the shore letting the waves wash over their tired feet.

Loki looked over to Aliah and scooped up her hand in his, smiling at her as they walked. It was early afternoon and the sun was warm, reflecting its rays off the waves in great sparks that shone in their eyes.  
"It’s very lovely." Loki said staring out towards the horizon. Somewhere far away the ocean came to an end and was slowly cascading off the end of the world into nothingness far below.

"Should we think of dinner my lady?" Loki said finally.  
"Oh, if we must." She smiled. Aliah stuck her leg out and kicked water his way, quickly giggling and running back towards the horses.

"How immature." Loki said as he smiled and chased after.

Loki caught her finally and with a great laugh pushed her into the waves, soaking her clothes to the bone.  
"Ah! No fair!" she laughed between mouthfuls of water.  
"Ah my lady, allow me." He said as he extended a hand to help her up. She grinned towards him and went to grab for his hand but he quickly pulled it away, laughing at his little trick.  
Not to be outdone, Aliah simply jumped up and tackled him into the waves, the two of them giggling maniacally as she did.

"Now what are we to do about these wet clothes my lady?" he said, grinning widely as she held him down in the surf.

Aliah stood up and waved her hand, her clothes disappeared as she walked further into the waves, swimming out a bit and enjoying the warm water on her skin.  
Loki chuckled and watched her swim out a way before he flicked his fingers, suddenly standing there without his clothes and followed after her. 

They played for a while, refreshing themselves in the warm water, riding the waves back and forth until hunger called them back.  
________________________________________  
"Almost done." Aliah called.

Loki sat down another armful of wood for the fire. Two great fish roasted on wooden spits in the fire, brown and delicious looking after a long day of riding.  
Their clothes hung beside the fire on propped up sticks, drying slowly covered in sand. Aliah had unpacked the horses and they sat on great blankets that would be their bed for the night. It was soft and comfortable in the sand and they watched the sun slowly descend over the horizon far out to sea.

"Thank you my lady. I needed to get away for a while, with you." He said.

"It's no problem, I've been thinking how nice it would be to just be away from everything as well." she said.  
Aliah examined the fish and finally took the sticks and handed Loki one. They quietly ate, licking their fingers when they were done. When they had their fill, she took out a great flash of wine from the saddlebag beside her and they drank until they were sated. Falling back on the blankets they watched the first night stars come to life and the sky turned a blazing red above them.

Aliah looked over to Loki and he looked back to her, smiling he reached out his arm and in a rare gesture of assertiveness, brought her close to him to lie on his chest. The thought flew through her mind how she disliked being in such a subordinate position, but she quickly let it evaporate. She found herself enjoying being in his arms. Loki was so gentle and contented at that very moment. A smile caressed his face as he looked out to sea, and he did feel so very nice to lie on. She put aside her thoughts and let herself float away in his grasp, enjoying his body for a change. He wrapped his arm around her and they lay together in silent contemplation, watching the sky and enjoying the warm fire.

The stars came out as the light faded from the sky. The night closed in on them and Loki pulled her closer to him. The light of the fire cast shadows and waves of smoke over their bodies warming them. Loki moved his hip and leaned over Aliah still in his arm looking into her eyes.

"It is indeed beautiful my lady." He said quietly. Aliah looked back at him briefly, grinning at him before turning her gaze out to sea again.  
Loki reached out his other arm and placed his hand on her cheek, pulling her to look at him again.

Loki blushed slightly, he felt his mouth go dry and his arm went weak. She was so beautiful, and here she was, in his arms. 'Should I say it?' he thought? 'What if she doesn't want to hear it? I shouldn't be so forward. Should I be feeling this? How can I stop, I don't care if it's not acceptable, I hate this enchantment that has come over me. I must have her, I don't care what anyone else thinks.' He thought.

He reached out and brushed his lips against hers. He tasted the salt on her lips, and gently ran his tongue over her bottom lip. He looked up into her eyes and watched her for a moment.  
"So beautiful." He said finally, a quick jolt of electric panic shooting though him.

Aliah smiled and ran her hand up to his hair, pulling him down onto her as their lips devoured each other.  
Loki ran his lips down to her neck, licking and sucking her gently as he went. She wrapped her arms around him, running her hands down his back as he went, encouraging his love. They wrestled in each other's arms, tasting the salt on each other, caressing the other as their lust grew. They fell to their sides, sighing at each other's touch as they gazed upon the other.

Aliah watched him quietly, as their eyes met; they searched each other's feelings, watching the others eyes grow wide in their need. She finally leaned close and kissed Loki's lips gently. She brought her hand up and stroked his cheek, feeling his strong jaw in her palm. Aliah ran her kisses to his cheek and gently moved up to his ear. She took his earlobe in her mouth and gently ran her tongue around it sending shivers across his body.  
"Come into me." She whispered to him.

Loki pushed her down to the blankets with a low moan and kissed her lips forcefully. His mouth demanding entrance to hers as she gladly gave it. He pressed himself down onto her, forcing her legs apart with his knee, their hips thrusting towards the other while they kissed. Their love was hot and fast and Loki wasted no time as he ravaged her body. Their cries of lust and pleasure ringing out in the night as the waves crashed and receded in time to his thrusts.  
________________________________________  
Loki fell back onto the blanket, breathless and panting. They were covered in sweat and the cool night air felt refreshing as they tried to recover. Loki pulled Aliah close to him again in a warm embrace, her head on his chest as they smiled and gasped for air.  
"You are amazing my lady." Loki said to the sky.

Aliah chuckled quietly into his chest as she ran her hand over his chest.  
"I am glad you approve my dear." she said sweetly. She thought for a moment, and pushing away the voice screaming in her head, she added, "You are so very delicious yourself."  
Loki smiled and turned his head to look into her eyes. He kissed her forehead and gently rocked her in a sweet embrace.

Finally Aliah rolled over and pulled out a flask of water and took a drink, passing it over to Loki afterwards. He took it gently form her hands and took a sip, replacing the cap before handing it back and falling back to the pillow beneath his head.  
"I never want this night to end." He said quietly.

"I know," she said falling back into her pillow.  
It was a while before she felt his mind ease and heard sleep call to him. She put her arm under her and laid her head back onto his chest. She kissed his chest and ran her hand over his chest and stomach, enjoying his muscles as his body heaved and recovered.  
It wasn't long before she heard his breathing slow and his mouth fell open in relaxed sleep. Loki's head rolled her way and a gentle snore of complete sleep slipped out of his mouth. Aliah waited for a while, enjoying his body, he was so trusting, so relaxed. Finally, she rose up on one elbow and looked into his face. 'He is so beautiful.' She thought quietly.

Gently she lifted up and sat beside him. Watching his chest rise and fall as she watched him so trusting and vulnerable beside her. She waved a hand finally, almost reluctantly and cast the spell to make him sleep without waking. Loki fell into a deep sleep, his snoring stopped and he breathed a shallow sleep of near death.

She watched him for the longest time, finally she waved her hand and stared at the little box that containing the gem she held in her hand.  
'I don't want to know now that I come to it.' She thought. 'what difference is it going to make?' she thought about throwing the cursed thing into the sea, allowing the waves to contain it for eternity, before taking it in her hand and watching it glow in her hand. She looked at Loki sleeping so soundly, and felt a fear rise in her chest. 'I must know.' She heard a voice say.

She carefully knelt down before him and kissed his lips. She moved down his body, kissing his neck and chest and laid her head on his breast, listening to his heart before leaning up again.  
Carefully, she took the gem and laid it in the middle of Loki's chest. The blue pulsing light from the gem glowed and swirled within itself as nothing happened.

Aliah breathed a sigh of relief and held her hand on his thigh, closing her eyes in relief. She opened her eyes and looked back to the gem and sucked in a great gasp of air. Where the gem sat on his chest had turned blue, the color was spreading slowly outwards, consuming his body and changing his form. Great marks appeared all over as the blue color expanded outwards. She watched as it consumed his whole body, turning him blue as great marks like brands appeared all over his body in intricate designs.  
She stared at him with wide sad eyes. She wished she didn't know now, she wanted desperately to make it stop, to not let the knowledge soak deep into her being but it was impossible to undo it now. Loki was not deformed, rather he was a Jotun. There was no denying the knowledge now.

Slowly images of Loki as a young child filled her mind and she understood what Odin had done so long ago. He had taken Loki from Jotunheim as a baby and meant to use him as a bartering chip, and nothing more. All of the pain Loki had felt all his life made sense to her now. The images she saw from his mind all becoming clear as glass now. She felt a great oozing from her heart and knew a great sadness rise within her. She took the gem and put it back in the box, waving it away with her hand. Slowly the spell that had been embedded in Loki as a baby eased back into place, as if the Jotun side of him was a melting ice cube. He grew warm and pale again and the designs receded from his body.  
She felt a great cracking in her heart and let the feeling of utter despair wash over her.

She sat there, staring at his beautiful lithe form as her heart slowly ripped open. She hated the feeling; it tore through her like a wound. She hadn't wanted to care this much, she had rejected any form of attachment for so long, and now she desperately wanted the feeling to end. She tried to tear herself away from him, but all she could do was stare at him.

She desperately wanted to feel anything but what she was feeling for him now. She could think of nothing but his kindness and compassion he had shown her these weeks. She wanted it to end. She felt something in her hand and saw a short flail, finally realizing her unconscious hurt had called it forth. She stared at it for a bit, until finally she flung it across her own back. 

She felt the sting upon her flesh, hissing as she felt the pain bite into her. She flung it again and again against her, biting and tearing as it went, but Aliah never cried out at the pain, forcing herself to continue.  
She whipped and beat herself until the sadness was consumed in the fire of pain. She felt in her heart for the fire that lived there, calling forth the dragon that slept inside her, begging for its strength to overtake her and set her feet back on the path that she understood.

The fire responded and woke up within her finally. With every thrash it woke up a little more, bringing its own twisted strength to her, replacing the hurt with hatred. She tore her flesh, forcing herself to go on calling the dragon awake inside her. She finally whipped herself into a frenzy and drove the last remaining ounce of hurt from her and gave herself to the hatred she desperately wanted instead. She screamed out to the waves pounding in her ears. The horses shied at her sound from behind her and neighed loudly.

Now she felt the hatred within her, consuming her being. She stopped her whip and turned to Loki, his sleeping form relaxed beside her. She watched his breathing and stood up, looming over him like a mad woman.  
His perfect skin shone in the moonlight and she could not stand the sight of him. His skin, his perfect pale tone spoke out like a lie from a tender place. She flung the whip over her back again and hissed in pain. She wanted to tear the flesh from him, to destroy the lie that lived within him.

There would be no throne, no possibility of a kingdom for him. Odin would never allow him on the throne, all that awaited Loki was nothing but pain and destruction in his future. She knew then that Odin had always planned to send him back to Jotunheim at some point, a twisted ambassador and spy for Asgard one day. There would be nothing but more seclusion and loneliness for him all the days of his life.

She screamed in pain and hated every living thing at that moment. She hated Loki, she hated Odin more, but most of all, she hated herself. She reached out with her leg and forced herself to kick Loki over onto his stomach, forcing his face away from her eyes. She flung the whip over her back again and cried from the pain of it, making it take the place of the hurt and sorrow in her heart. She reached out to bring the whip down on him, but couldn't do it. Her inability to hurt him in that moment gave birth to a deep hatred of her own weakness and she searched within herself for strength.

'Do it.' She heard from somewhere within. 'Do it now. Don't feel this, whip the feelings from within you.' The voice called.

Aliah screamed and brought the whip down onto Loki's sleeping body. It tore at his flesh leaving a great welt across his back and buttocks. She stared at the angry mark quickly filling with blood and could not go on.  
She stared back down at him, the fog of hatred subsiding from her mind and she looked at his perfect form, marred by her own doing.

Loki lie there sleeping peacefully, his perfect flesh ripped and bleeding, a sick manifestation of her own hurt and pain born out in his flesh, mimicking her own torn body.

She fell to her knees before him watching him bleed and ooze. She let the whip fall from her hands, forgotten as she looked upon her work. She was tired, she gasped for air and waited for the relief her effort would bring to her body but it never came. The release refused to come, and slowly she forced her eyes open to see him lying before her.

Peace and pleasure had always followed a good whipping before. All the others before her, with every one she had enjoyed their cries, their tears running down dirty faces. Their smug demeanor always replaced with penitence. It had made her feel so good, but now, as she watched him, that feeling never came. 

He had not deserved it, he was not a smug rich noble who cared nothing for her, somehow he was the exact opposite. It didn't matter that he wasn't Aesir. In that instant, it didn't matter that he was to never be king, or accepted by anyone, all that mattered was that he had been nothing but good to her.

She had just hurt Loki, the prince who had never needed coaxing or cajoling. He, who had done nothing but make her smile and delight in her own dark moods and evil notions with abandon. She felt a different sadness well up in her then, her back stinging as she knelt there and looked at his broken form. Nothing could take away her feelings, as desperately as she tried, she could not whip the love she felt away and she pressed herself to his torn body, regretting all that she had wrought upon him. She held him in her arms for the longest time, letting his blood drip and ooze onto her.

'I'm sorry Loki, I'm so sorry.' She whispered.

She saw him in her mind now, a victim of the house of Odin as much as she was. She had just whipped the kind young prince just as she had been whipped by Odin's sick evil brother Villi. The family of Odin, so full of torturers, villi of her, and Odin of Loki. Both of them, stolen away and tortured in their own ways, only to be sent back where they had come from eventually to fend for themselves.

The thoughts washed over like a wave, making her see clearly how they were so alike now, siblings in pain and hurt and she knew then she would discard her plans and make a new one. Deep within her heart the dragon was secretly pleased, now more than with all the men she had tortured in the past.

She saw now how she could still strike a great spear through the heart of the family who she had wished dead for so long. Loki would be her spear, and through him she could hurt them, she could bring them down still, she cared nothing for the throne now, none of it mattered, the only thing that mattered was making them pay, and pay they would still.

Loki had a deep need for control, he had watched her in fascination as she whipped the man. His cunning mind desperately needing something of control in his own life. She understood then how she could easily take his pain and make it his strength, she knew he would be so easy to mold now, and she saw how he could be strong if she gave up any pretense of altruism.

"I will make you mine, you are mine alone my dearest. I won't let them discard you like they did me. I will not allow that to happen. I will make you see, I'll make you understand what they want from you but I won't let Odin do this to you. You deserve better than what he plans for you. I will deny him his great plans, I swear to you Loki, I swear to you now, I will help you see what he has done to you and you will destroy him." she said to his sleeping body.  
"I'll set you free from them, and then I can be free as well, finally free, they have to pay. Then I'll come to you and be beside you, I don't care how." She said.

She held Loki in her arms and said her vow to his sleeping body, holding him close to her and burying her head into his back.  
'I can never let you know. I can never tell you, Loki, you can never know what you are, not from me, ever, ever my dearest. I'll find a way, we'll get them, I won't let them destroy you. Ill figure something out my dear, I promise you." She said to him.  
She hugged him close for a long time and finally waved her hand over his torn flesh, wiping away all trace of her whip from his skin. She waved her hand again and erased her own scars, making sure no blood remained on them or the blankets and hugged him dearly a little longer.

She finally relaxed and turned him over on his back again, staring into his sweet pale face as he slept. She knelt down and curled into his chest, pressing herself into him and running her hands down his chest and arms. She felt her exhaustion overtake her finally, allowing her to finally release the last bit of pain and torment from her mind, and she vowed to never strike his flesh ever again.

She waved her hand before sleep overtook her, releasing Loki from the sleep of death and fell into a fitful dream world of blue giants whipping and taunting her as she lay upon a hard bed with tattered thin sheets.

She dreamed she was looking out the window she could never escape through and heard the girl calling for her to remember. She turned in her dream and now saw Loki, curled behind her, the two of them alone in the room, forgotten and abused together, huddling for any compassion and comfort in each other's arms. 

In her mind, now quiet from all that she had endured, she knew she was no longer alone. The girl who was trapped in the room but was always beside and insider her all at once, was appeased for the time being.


	21. Chapter 21

"My back is killing me." Loki said between groans of discomfort.

Aliah glanced over at Loki sitting beside her and smirked. She focused her gaze again to far out at sea, somewhere on the horizon, clouds were gliding over the early morning sky. 

"Not used to sleeping rough eh my prince?" 

"Apparently not." Loki replied with a frown.

"Well my dear," she said, "perhaps we should go have some fun in a town for a night. Get some good food and a cozy bed for the night?" she said.

"Agreed, as much as I love this place, that does sound appealing." Loki answered.

Aliah chuckled towards him and sighed.

"Fine with me my dear, it would be nice to listen in on the common folk a bit. They can be so…entertaining sometimes." She said finally. "Besides, I just remembered why I never come to the beach anymore." She said.

"And why is that?" Loki asked.

"Damn sand everywhere it shouldn't be." She winked.

"Ehehehehe." Loki chuckled. "Indeed."

Aliah waved her fingers and they were clean and fresh again. They quickly packed up the few items they had brought and mounted their horses. They took one last look at the ocean, the waves were relentlessly pounding the beach over and over before them, a bright day shone out all around them and they smiled to each other. Finally they smiled and turned the horses around and headed back the way they came.  
________________________________________

Just after noon they came to a small town outside of Annwyn. Loki had easily disguised their clothes with a wave and they were now dressed as regular peasants for the moment. They trotted over to a small stable and paid the attendant a few coins to bed their horses for the night. Walking back they came to a large pub that wafted smells of good food and festive music their way through the door.

"Looks clean at least eh?" Aliah said.

"Yes, this will be fine, I'm famished." Loki answered.

They walked in the door and looked around. Tables and chairs were sat everywhere, most were still empty at this early hour. A large hearth glowed with a cheery fire to one side, while a large bar occupied the other end. Barrels and casks of various drinks sat behind the bar as a large man stood behind it cleaning great mugs with a rag.

Walking over to the bar, Aliah paid for a single room while Loki found a seat in the corner.

Nodding quickly to the man, she handed him a few coins and met Loki back at the table.

A pretty barmaid finally came over and they ordered some food and drinks, quietly taking in the scene.

Their meal was short, and seeing as how there were not many people there yet, they decided to go inspect their room and relax, the ride had not been hard, but a nap did sound wonderful. Kicking off their boots they flopped onto the bed and fell into a relaxing sleep spooned around each other's body comfortably.  
________________________________________

The stick poked her back and neck over and over. The man towered above her and would not stop prodding her. "No stop." Aliah said. But he would not relent.

Slowly the fog of sleep evaporated in her head and she opened her eyes.

Loki was curled around her, his hand groping her breast, his hot lips were trailing kisses down her back and neck, chuckling softly as he went.

"Oh you." She said in a groggy tone. "You never stop, you dirty man. You're quite insatiable you know." She grinned.

"Of course my dear." He chuckled. "Why would I ever not be with you around?"

She rolled over and faced him giving him an evil grin. Loki leaned in to kiss her lips but she grabbed the pillow from her head and swatted him with it in the face.

"Ha ha!" She laughed. "Save it for later my tiger." She called.

"killjoy." Loki answered with a wicked wink.  
________________________________________

The sun had gone down outside and the sounds of a full bar downstairs floated up to them. Music and laughter mingled with clinking mugs and the smell of beer and cooked meat wafted to them from between the cracks of the door. They sat up and giggled to each other feeling refreshed and pulled on their boots once again to go enjoy the anonymity that can only be had in a large group.

Their corner table was still open thankfully, and Loki and Aliah settled into the corner to enjoy the crowd. Loud people stood around everywhere laughing and talking, a small group of musicians sat in a far corner playing lutes and pipes. It was a warm lively scene and Loki and Aliah relaxed and smiled as they watched everyone enjoying themselves. The barmaid brought two great mugs of beer to them, smiling at Loki as she walked away.

"I love this." Aliah said to him. "I used to sneak out regularly into town and just sit and watch everyone." She said.

"The thought never crossed my mind honestly." Loki responded. "I was too preoccupied with my books to ever think to do such a thing. But I must admit, it is fun to be a fly on a wall so to speak." He said.

"Yes, it's rather fun to go unnoticed in places like this. It's a good way to find out how people really feel." She said.

"What do you mean?" Loki asked.

"Well, none of these people would ever come to me and tell me what they really think of me. But if you sit long enough and listen to them, if they have no idea who you are, the real truth of matters can always be found out just by listening to their loose tongues in places like this. Its rather amusing really." She said.

Loki grinned and watched the people laughing and talking. "Ah yes, alcohol is good for loosening up a tongue." he said finally.

Aliah snorted loudly into her mug. "Like you need any help with that." She grinned.

"Eheheh, yes well maybe tonight would be a good night to test that out don't you think?" Loki said with an evil grin.

"I completely agree." Aliah said.

They downed their mugs and ordered more, grinning to each other and laughing to themselves.  
________________________________________

The night wore on and the talking became louder and louder. As the beer went down the patrons throats, their laughter became easier and bawdier. The table next to Loki and Aliah erupted with laugher from three young men who had their fill early on and continued drinking despite it. They slapped each other on their backs and laughed loudly at each other's antics.

"Oh good," Aliah said to Loki in a slight haze of alcohol. "The local young men are having a good time. I do enjoy watching fools don't you?" she grinned.

"Ah hahah, yes indeed." Loki smirked. His eyes were clouded by his own tipsy fog clouding his brain.

"Reminds me of my brother and his band of fools back home." He said. He wished he hadn't said it, he hated to think about his idiot brother who did nothing but torment him. It was even worse when he was with his friends. Loki sat back and silently drank his beer, now sorry it had even been brought up.

"So then, she grabs the whip and starts wailing on the poor bastard." One of the men said.

Loki and Aliah perked up and looked at each other, quietly signaling to each other that they knew exactly who he was talking about.

"That witch." One of the others said. "Fucking nobles, is she just insane or a complete bitch you think?" he said.

"I think the damned bitch just thinks she's better than anyone, and the way she tore into him, you should have seen it, she must be insane i tell you. It was disgusting, that damn barmaid deserved it if you ask me. Aliah only took her side because she's a woman too. Fucking pathetic" The first said.

"I don't know guys," said a third man. "I've never heard of her doling out punishments that don't match the crime. Maybe the bastard got what he deserved, you ever think of that?" he said.

"Bullshit Geri, that's bullshit and you know it. You weren't there, I'm telling you, she's fucking mad, she didn't put that thing down until he was half dead, and then she had him dragged into town to finish the job. I swear to you I think he's still there now!" he said.

Aliah looked over to Loki, her eyes slightly glazed over from the beer. She had that ten foot tall and bulletproof feeling you get after just the right amount of alcohol before the downward spiral starts, and she was enjoying it.

"My dear Loki," she started. "What would you say to us having a fun time with our new friend here?" she said to him.

Loki’s eyes quickly lit up, but then suddenly he felt as if a huge trap was about to be sprung on him. He had no idea where this feeling was coming from, surely he was past this by now? It had been months since he had felt the need to hide his thoughts from anyone, and yet here it was that same old feeling. Loki pushed the uneasy feeling to the back of his mind and pressed on carefully.

"And what kind of fun are you meaning?" Loki replied carefully. "Because, I could think of a lot of fun things to do you know." He grinned.  
"Heheh, well, it occurs to me my dear," she said quietly. "That I happen to know how much you enjoy, all sorts of ….things." she said wickedly, glancing at the loud mouthed man.  
Loki caught her line of sight and felt a surge of thrill rush through his core.

"Are you proposing that we…uhm...how shall I say it?" Loki said, his grin growing wider by the second. "That we uhm…ahahahhah, enjoy his company together and then teach him a lesson my lady?" he said.  
"Hehhehheh, ahhhhhh yes. It would be …delicious to hear all his screams don't you think?" Aliah responded.

"I love you. You know that right? You are absolutely...*burp*… (Oh excuse me)… breathtaking my lady. And I'm not just saying that because."

"Your drunk my dear?" she said cutting him off with a laugh, slightly falling over onto his shoulder.

"That is beside the point." Loki grinned.

"I know dear. Ohhhhhh, I know." Aliah responded.

Loki and Aliah leaned in towards each other and giggled evilly together, deciding finally to finish their mugs and then use the facilities.

"After that, ill simply bring him back to the room. And that will be your cue to come back. We can have our fill of him before we make him scream" she said quietly.  
Loki covered his mouth with his hand, unable to stop himself from laughing out loud. "Oh yes, yes please my lady. I cannot wait to hear him cry out. He should be taught a lesson for his insolence towards you." He said.

They took another drink from their mugs and looked back at each other.

"Are you sure we're ok with this?" Loki asked.

"They are all beneath us. Don't tell me you don't want to, because I know better." She answered.

"Just making sure. I do so love it when you are wreaking havoc." Loki answered, his haze of alcohol mixing with lust now.

Aliah simply grinned at him.  
________________________________________

An hour later the young men were even drunker and louder than ever. Aliah leaned over to Loki and winked at him, "I do believe I will go to the facilities my dear. Don't forget to follow us up." She said to him.

"Oh I wouldn't miss this for anything." Loki answered.

Aliah scooted out of her seat and walked to the bathrooms. After relieving herself, she washed her hands and waved her fingers, albeit in an exaggerated manner from all the alcohol. Suddenly her clothes were replaced with a sexy bodice and skirt, not unlike what the barmaids were wearing. She pushed up her breasts and gave an approving look to herself in the mirror.

Aliah walked out and took the long way around the bar, walking back through the main room. She spotted Loki still in his corner and winked to him. Loki winked back and grinned to himself, sitting back in his chair and taking another drink of his beer. He kept his eyes on Aliah, enjoying the mischief they were about to unleash on the idiot man.

Aliah walked over to the bar and got a new mug of beer, flipping a coin to the man before she headed back. Walking back through the room she glanced over to the loudmouth who had badmouthed her earlier. She made sure to catch his gaze and smiled deeply to him, giving him a wink once his booze addled mind registered her.

"Oh my gods, excuse me boys." He said as he left his friend and walked over to her.

Loki watched in quiet lust from his corner as Aliah chatted the man up, giggling often and placing her hands on his arms as he talked. He had to be no more than Loki's age; the look of youth was still upon his bright face. Long blond hair trailed down his back and a stubble beard of red that looked like it had never been shaved even once yet poked out on his chin and cheeks.

Loki watched them talking, noticing how the loudmouth youth was fair and beautiful. 'He may be a loudmouth but he is kind on the eyes at least.' He thought. The thought of violating the beautiful youth made Loki's heart race, he felt his lust grow within him imagining the scene. The idea that Aliah and he were about to enjoy him together sent an electric jolt down his thighs.

'Oh my gods, this is just too good to be true.' He thought. 'I wonder what he'll sound like at the end of a whip?" he thought with an evil grin. 'That'll teach you to belittle my lady, you fool.'  
Aliah finally quietly took the youths hand and led him upstairs, a look of glee and smug satisfaction on his face as he passed his friends who just cheered him on.

Loki waited till the door was closed upstairs before downing the last of his drink. He put down the mug and smiled an evil grin, slowly getting up from his chair.  
________________________________________

As soon as the door was closed the young man was on Aliah, clawing at her dress and hair, pressing his drunk kisses into her mouth forcefully. Aliah let him handle her, slowly walking him over to the bed. "Take off your boots." She said to him.  
He quickly sat down and yanked off his boots, throwing them aside before trying to get back up, and failing at it. Aliah pushed him down onto the bed and waved her hands; chains sprang up from nowhere and clasped his wrists and ankles, securing him to the bed tightly.

'hey, what the…oh your kinky eh baby?" he called, "yeah I like that, why don't you come over here and show me what you like?" he called.

"Oh I will," Aliah answered back as the door opened behind her. Loki walked through and secured the door behind him, turning around he smiled widely and took in the scene. "My, you do work quickly don't you my lady?" Loki said.  
"Who the...what the fuck….?" the man called. Aliah waved her three fingers absently towards him and cut off his words, he could no longer speak. Finding his words caught in his throat he could only make various noises and sounds but no words escaped his mouth as hard as he tried.

'mmmm my dear, you are a crafty one, I love that." Loki said as he caught up Aliah in his arms and kissed her passionately.

The man stared in horror as they made out, hot and heavy before him. Aliah and Loki devoured each other in his sight, slowly stripping each other's clothes off and dumping them on the floor as they went. Finally they looked back to him and grinned evilly towards him.

"So, you don't like the justice I dispense eh?" Aliah said.

The man's eyes went wide in terror as he realized who stood before him. His mouth moved as he desperately tried to say something but nothing came out but squeaks and cries.  
"Let's see how you like my justice when we're done with you pissant." Aliah said.

Loki and Aliah looked at each other again and slowly descended on the man. They giggled maniacally to each other as they slowly overtook his body before them, ripping his clothes from him as they went, they moved like hungry tigers circling a mewling animal about to be devoured.

Loki knelt over the man from his right as Aliah took the left side. They knelt their faces down to the restrained frightened man and swirled their tongues down onto his skin. Devouring his flesh with kisses and bites, Aliah attacked his throat and chest while Loki went straight for the man's thighs, leaving great bite marks as he bit and licked relentlessly. They giggled at his pained face and struggles as they went but they knew he was never going to be able to escape. His struggles only fueled their evil lust and they ran their hands over his body as well as each other, kissing the other tenderly as they dispensed deep painful bites upon the man.

The man screamed but nothing as loud as a soft cry ever came from his mouth. They left great marks on him, from teeth, from sharp nails, as well as slaps and punches. The two insane lovers writhed in lust and passion over his entire body as they hurt him over and over. The haze of alcohol in their brains fueled their passion deep inside them.

Loki finally moved down and devoured his manhood, sucking him hard and deep into his mouth. Loki dragged his teeth down his member with no regard whatsoever for his pain. Aliah grinned evilly as she watched him take the pleasure from the youth, his tears only brought an evil laugh to their throats as they watched him cry and struggle. They ripped his hair, clawed his body, bit and sucked him and only when great welts of blood welled up on his body did they look up and breathlessly grin at each other.  
'Do you want him my dear?" Aliah said.

"How should I take him I wonder?" Loki said with a grin to her. "I am ever so capable of taking him either way." He said.

"Ahh yes…as you please, I should think, but I do so want to help though." Aliah answered.

"Then come here my love." Loki said as he pulled her down to straddle the man's hips.

Loki focused his attention onto Aliah now, embracing her as they both straddled the terrorized man. He licked and sucked her breasts and neck, trailing down pleasure over her body. Aliah grinned and called forth a whip to her hands. Handing it over to Loki, he smiled and grasped it in his hand. As he leveled pleasure over Aliah's naked body, he flung the whip over the man, dispensing terror and pain to the man. Loki and Aliah laughed and moaned, reveling in his muffled screams of terror.  
"Ah, yes….more." Aliah called to Loki.

"Gladly." He answered.

With one hand Loki whipped the man and with the other he held Aliah close to him, trailing over her hot flesh with his tongue. The frenzy increased until he could no longer take it, forcing her back slightly he slid a finger down over her slit. Feeling how wet she was Loki giggled in delight. He whipped the man again as he shoved her close to him, guiding his engorged weeping cock deep into her.

Aliah cried out in pleasure as the man cried out in terror. 'Oh gods yes.' Loki called out.

The feeling was almost too much to take, but Loki forced himself to remain calm, sucking in great breaths between clenched teeth. Loki took her deeper onto his manhood; he thrust and bucked into her enjoying the feel of her wrapped around him.

He stopped thrusting suddenly and stared into Aliah's eyes, grinning widely to her. He reached back and stroked the man's cock finding it hard from terror. Loki eased Aliah back with him and plunged himself down onto the man, taking him inside him.  
The three of them cried out in pleasure, making Loki immediately crack the whip over the man's chest again to balance the scale back towards the side of pain for him.

Loki rode the man hard, forcing himself deep inside him as he thrust deeper into Aliah. The youth gave in and sobbed quietly beneath them both. His tears and sobs brought cries of lust and joy from Loki and Aliah.

Loki's mouth fell open in pure pleasure, taking them both into him as their breaths hitched in their throat. Loki flailed the man harder, feeling himself near the edge.

Aliah saw Loki's eyes glaze over and knew he was close. They forced themselves harder and faster into each other, finally tumbling over the edge together in a great cry of release. Loki dropped the whip as his mind exploded in a wave of stars at his orgasm. They cried out and held each other tightly in their release, catching each other's face gently they kissed deeply as their lust overtook them, their tongues swirling around the others in their pleasure.

Finally releasing one another, a wave of exhaustion washed over their bodies. Loki reluctantly but gently came out from Aliah and helped her to lie down beside the tortured man before lifting himself off him as well. He curled himself behind Aliah and spooned into her back, caressing her gently and kissing her neck.

They lay there beside the man, panting in their effort, watching him cry softly as he hid his face from them.

"My lady, you are simply amazing." Loki said finally.

"And I love how you use a whip my dear one." She said.

They finally recovered their breath and looked to the broken man beside them.

Loki got up and walked around the other side of the bed, "may I?" Loki asked toward Aliah.

She waved her hand and the chains disappeared, quickly replaced by shackles around his hands and feet that no longer held him to the bed. Loki picked him up and carried him to the corner, where he dumped him forcefully onto the ground.

Loki knelt down and looked deeply into his terror filled eyes. "Don't you ever, besmirch my lady again you worthless little prick. I will find out if you do, you know we will, and if I hear of you again I will not be satisfied until I whip the flesh from you while I fuck you senseless. Do you understand me you worthless wretch?" Loki said with a grin.

The man nodded quickly and sobbed as great tears poured down his terror filled face. Loki nodded and stood back up; kicking the man in his head to the point of blacking out, the youth finally went limp as his eyes closed and fell over into the corner.  
Loki walked back to Aliah and crawled into bed, curling around her and burying his head into her chest.

"Thank you my dear, your words truly warm my heart." Aliah said to him as she ran her fingers through his hair gently.

"I will suffer no fool to dishonor you in my presence, I swear it." Loki said simply, burying his head into her deeper.

They held each other tight and smiled as they kissed and caressed the other before a sweet sleep of exhaustion and alcohol took them.

They both felt a slight sensation of being rocked back and forth as if they were on a great boat in the ocean swirling around them. The feeling slowly dragged them down into the depths of the world of dreams and shadows.  
________________________________________

Morning came quickly and Loki woke up still curled into Aliah's side. He looked over quickly to check on the tortured young man, still finding him asleep in the corner he smiled and kissed Aliah before rising and throwing on some clothes. Loki walked over and picked up the man easily, slinging him over his shoulder as he disappeared with a wave of his hand.

A short time later Loki returned, reappearing as quickly as he had left, only this time, the man was nowhere to be seen. Loki signed contentedly as he settled into a chair beside the window and called forth the right movement to make a pot of steaming hot tea appear before him. 

“I have needed this” he thought to himself. 

He sipped a cup of tea slowly as he watched people moving around the street below him, and he smiled to himself. 

“I do need to cause a bit more mischief I think.” He thought, as he glanced over to Aliah’s sleeping form, and grinned.

Finally, Loki turned to look out the window once more.  
________________________________________

The morning passed quickly after they both woke up. After they dressed they went downstairs and had a large breakfast of bacon and eggs, washed down with a sweet cider. Wiping their mouths they smiled to each other and walked out of the pub towards the stables.

Retrieving their horses they mounted up and rode off towards Aliah's castle, secure in the knowledge that more work was piling up the longer they stayed away. They laughed and talked all the way home, enjoying the view as they rode.

Silently, far behind them on the outskirts of the little town, the terrorized youth woke up. Finding himself strung high up in a tree, naked and still bleeding, he cried silently as he realized he was faced the daunting task of walking home naked, bloody, and humiliated, only after he somehow wriggled out of his bonds.


	22. Chapter 22

"Ahhhh," Loki said as he slid further down into the tub of hot steaming water. "Just what I needed."

"Oh yes," Aliah agreed from the other side of the tub.

The great stone tub wafted up hot vapors, relieving their tired bodies after so long away from comfortable surroundings.

"Do you think you can teach me that disappearing trick you do with items after this?" Loki said from behind closed eyes.

"Ah yes, I've been meaning to do that, but only if you teach me how to transform into other shapes." She said.

"Oh yes, that would be ever so fun. Put a new twist into our lovemaking don't you think?" Loki said with a grin.

"Ah, heheh, yes it would at that." Aliah agreed with a wink. "Unless you turn into a potted ficus of course." She added.

"Oh I don't know," Loki said gleefully. "Don't limit yourself my lady." He grinned.

"You're so sick," Aliah said with a smile, "I love it."

They finished their bath and dressed for the day before heading up to the magic study. The great bolt slid away from the other side and they walked in to the familiar place, the lamps lighting as they crossed the door.

Aliah walked to the cabinet and pulled out a few pots of ingredients and turned to Loki with a smile.

"Come on, let's get you set up." She said. Loki smiled followed her out the door behind her.

They walked down a few flights of stairs and came to a solid wood door. Opening it up, they walked into a completely empty room with no windows.

"This will be your store-room alone." She said to Loki.

"I don't understand." He said.

"It's pretty simple, when I cast the spell that makes items disappear, they have to go somewhere. I have a room just like this elsewhere, no one can enter but me thanks to the enchantments, and there the items await my call and return when I wish it. This room will be where you can store your things and retrieve them. These ingredients will allow you to cast the spell to enchant this room, allowing only you entrance and keep the items safe to await your call." She said.

"Ah yes, very nice." Loki said. "Show me."

Aliah handed Loki the pots and instructed him how to cast the spell, as he spread out the powders all around the perimeter of the room. Finally they ended at the door again and Aliah instructed him on the words and power flow that he should follow. Loki repeated the words and watched as the powder line on the floor turned a bright blue and then disappeared. The door faded into the wall, and merged with the stones, becoming completely hidden to everyone but Loki.

"Can you see the door?" she asked him.

"Why yes, should I not?" he said.

"No, it's perfect, now only you can see it, no one will ever find your secret place now as long as you live." She said.

"Excellent." He said.

"Now," she said to him, "Take your hands and wave them like this," she instructed. "Make those ingredients disappear into there and then call them back to make sure." She said.

Loki watched her and saw the words in his mind, carefully he waved his hands and the pots disappeared. A smile came to his face and he gave her a toothy grin. "Oh this is wonderful." He said.

"Now bring them back." She said. Loki waved his hands again and the pots reappeared in his hand.

"Thank you my lady. This makes things so much easier now." he said with a grin.

"You are most welcome my dear. Now it's your turn to teach me something, how about later tonight?" she said.

"I can't wait." He said with a sly grin.

Aliah giggled slightly and gave him a wink. "I'm sure you can't." She said playfully.

Loki watched Aliah for a bit imagining the fun they could have as they took the form of animals before she finally spoke up.

"Alright you naughty boy, it's time to go do some work, I'll see you down in the offices, don't forget your books. Oh and also, go see Celiedh before you come down dear. She has more fittings to finish with you. We can work on your studies and magic when you're done with her." Aliah said.

They nodded to each other and headed off to their separate ways, Loki off to the tailors room, and Aliah to the offices downstairs.

She waited for Loki to turn the corner and then stopped. She thought for a moment, and headed back around the hall, making for the library.

The library was thankfully empty for the most part; a few people sat around examining books while a lone librarian looked up from her desk and bowed her head respectfully. Aliah nodded back to her and headed to the back, coming around a small alcove and removed the book that hid the button to her secret library.

Walking down the stairs Aliah came out into the great room lit by lamps and saw her oldest confidant, master Bram. He was a very elderly man, stooped from age and frailty. he looked as if he would crumble before many of the books that surrounded him on the desk. He sat there binding a new book with twine and glue.

Master Bram had been in her service since she took possession of the castle and before that, he had worked for her parents. He had watched her grow up, and had been her tutor as a child. It was he who had instilled a love of magic and learning into her upon her arrival. She knew that before he came to her parents he had worked in the capital as a servant in the palace there. He had left suddenly one day and came to Annwyn unannounced. He had no right to the title of master, and yet because of his age and wisdom, she could never think to call him anything else.

"My lady Aliah!" he called out as he saw her step into the room. "And what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" he asked.

"Master," she called. "How are you today?" she said.

"As well as can be expected for one as old as myself." He smiled.

He watched her sit down beside him at the table, gingerly picking up a few new books and inspecting them. His service in making sure the oldest books on secret knowledge never crumbled into dust was immeasurable. He preferred this work to anything else in his advanced age, the dim lights here kept his old eyes from hurting too much and he was growing hard of hearing, being here saved him from missing most conversation and having to repeat himself when he did speak.

Aliah sat there quietly for a time, and he knew from her silence that she was consumed in thought. It troubled him; she was troubled too often since she returned from her training he thought. He alone saw how it had affected her upon her return. He alone had cared about how such a bright and strong-willed girl had returned a sullen and troubled woman.

"What troubles you my lady?" he asked quietly, sitting back down in his chair beside her.

Aliah stayed quiet for a moment, not moving her eyes from the newly bound book in her grasp.

"Master Bram, I know before you came here you served at the capital correct?" she asked

"Yes my lady, I've never really talked about it much with you, but yes, for most of my life I was a servant there." He answered.

Aliah remained silent, listening to his words with a faraway look in her eyes.

Master Bram set aside the book before him and turned slowly towards her.

"My lady, is this about Lord Loki by any chance?" he stated quietly.

Aliah sat quietly for the longest time, unable to look up. Finally she nodded her head slightly, her eyes cast down to the floor.

"I see," he said quietly. He looked around and slowly rose from his chair, "my lady, I think it might be time to show you something I think you would like to see." Walking over towards the shelves he disappeared down the aisle, returning a short time later holding an old dusty journal in his hand.

Flipping through the pages he marked a spot and passed it over to Aliah.

"I've never shown anyone this, but I think it's time someone saw this, and I think that someone is you. I've been waiting a long time to share this with someone, but I never thought I would ever find anyone honestly." He said.

Aliah carefully took the book and looked at it. The pages were old and yellow; a beautiful script in faded ink looked back at her from the page.

"What is this?" she asked.

"This, my lady," he started, "is the reason I left the palace so long ago. I worked in the library back then, I did a lot of jobs really, but I worked there mostly, back before the war." He said.

"The war?" she asked.

"Yes, the war started by Jotunheim. They attacked Midgard and Odin and our forces went down to stop them. When he returned weeks later, everything changed. It was then that I and some others left, so many had died, and those that returned were changed because of it. I had many friends in the guard, most didn't return. Those who did told me…things, terrible things. The battles were terrible. "He said.

Aliah sat quietly listening to his words, finally looking his way.

"I had a close friendship with the butler to the Queen. One day after the war he came to me and gave me this book and told me he was leaving. He felt scared for some reason and felt that if he didn't get out then, he would surely go missing inexplicably. Go ahead, read what I've marked for you, you'll understand." He said.

Aliah turned her head to the page and read what was written.

Journal entry 12553-Gormanuour, 25th

War is over, so everyone says. Odin returned today in triumph as always. The queen was in higher spirits today. It was a great relief to hear, but so many warriors did not return. It's distressing. Still we can't question our king, who am to do so?

Still better times are ahead I hope. At least we don't have to worry about imminent invasion. These past weeks have been tense. The Queen was so worried, so preoccupied with her husband's war, she barely ate.

Journal entry-12554-Gormanuour, 27th

I am so scared right now. Maybe one day my words will be read by someone, I dare not stay here any longer, I fear my close association with the queen will no longer be overlooked. So many of the staff has already left, some I would have never thought would ever leave. I'm sure there's a good explanation for them, but I still think….am I next? Someone must know, and so I write these words here, hoping one day someone will understand...

Yesterday the queen presented her second son, Loki. No one questioned it, certainly not the populace, but I have been with her for months….I write this now to preserve the knowledge... she was not with child these long months. I can only surmise that Odin brought this child back with him from his conquest. The child is sickly, it cries all the time, and while it looks healthy enough, I know differently. Something is wrong. The Queen is a dutiful mother at least, and spends all her time with the baby. I do believe she truly loves it, but this is not her child.

I suspect Odin brought the child back from midgard where he fought, since the child is so very pale, but why would he ever do such a thing?

Aliah looked up from the book and watched master Bram's face quietly.

"I never saw him again. I would have heard from him some time, I know I would have, I know deep inside something happened to him. I have my suspicions of course, I think you know who was to blame ultimately." He said.

"Yes master Bram, I do know, the truth of these words …I have no doubt the house of Odin silenced him. And the baby, he was right, it was not of Frigga." She said quietly.

"Then it's true. I never doubted the words, but to hear you agree, it's disturbing." He said.

Aliah looked down to the floor, quietly considering her next words.

"Loki must never know." She said finally.

"Yes, of course. It's not his fault, besides, what good would it do? It would only destroy him knowing he was from Midgard, a lowly human and not of royal birth." He said.

Aliah looked up at him, starting into his face intently.

"Master Bran, what if I told you…he wasn't from Midgard?"

Bran tried to hide his expression of surprise, but it immediately turned into one of fear.

"My…my lady…but if Loki is not from Midgard…do you mean?"

"Yes bran…you're the only one I can tell about this. "She said with a frown.

Master Bran swallowed the lump in his throat and watched Aliah's face.

"A Jotun child…" he said quietly.

They sat there in silence for a time, considering the information.

"Are you sure?" he said finally.

"Positive, I have confirmed it for myself. Odin must have concealed his form through magic when he took him." She said.

Master Bram nodded his head and looked up. "There's something else you should read then." He said as he rose slowly from his chair, shuffling back through the stacks. He returned with an old tome, from somewhere deep in the aisles and searched through to a page, presenting it to her.

"These are a collection of old prophecies. I have had this book as long as I can remember; it was given to me by my father, written down long before Odin ever came to power, back at the dawn of time almost." He said.

She read a passage he pointed out to her and silently took in its words

Jotun blood on Asgard soil, the stolen prince, mother and father to monsters.

The world eater, the wolf of death, the beginning of ragnarok lies in his loins.

He shall bring forth the wolf and it shall consume the sun.

Then is fulfilled Hlin's second sorrow,

When Odin goes to fight with the wolf, and Belin's slayer, bright against Surtur, then shall Frigga's sweet friend fail.

Aliah sat back considering the words. A realization dawned upon her finally and she looked into Bram's eyes with a cold stare.

"So this…this is the way Odin will meet his end. That's what this means right?" she asked.

"Yes my lady," he said quietly. A serious look crossed his face and he reached out towards her hand with his.

"My lady, I saw what they did to you. You were such a happy child, but when you came back…my lady please, I tell you this because you alone …" he trailed off.

"You were foretold to bring this about. I know that now." He said finally. "They deserve to pay, for what they did to my friend, to you…take this knowledge and do what needs to be done I beg you." He said quietly.

"I've hidden this knowledge for far too long my lady, waiting for someone to tell." He added.

"Who else knows of this master Bram?" she asked.

"I'm not sure, only the oldest would remember these prophecies I'm sure. And even then, no one even takes them seriously any more, and certainly not without the knowledge of what happened with the young prince." He answered.

Aliah nodded and patted his hand back.

"I think I have an idea master Bram, for all our sakes, I will do what I can." She answered.

"I know my lady." He nodded adding a weak smile to her. "Bless you my lady." He added.

Aliah rose form her chair and bowed before him before turning around to walk back out.

Aliah walked back to her offices and sat down in her chair quietly thinking of the revelation from master Bram. Finally she rang the bell for her servant and took out a piece of parchment, dipping her quill in the ink she quickly wrote while she waited.

The servant arrived shortly and bowed to her.

Sealing the letter quickly she smiled at the servant and handed it to him.

"Yes, please give this to Ulfr, and bring some tea and lunch for Loki and I, thank you." She said as he bowed and left.

Loki walked in shortly afterwards and smiled to her, his arms full of books as he made his way to a desk beside Aliah.

"You know, you can use the room instead of carrying those things right?" she asked.

"Ah, yes, I forgot." He said sheepishly. "I'll have to get used to that now." He laughed.

Aliah chuckled at him and took some books from his stack, marking passages as she went.

The day passed quickly as they read and talked about various subjects in his studies until a servant arrived to inform them that dinner was ready. They finally rose and went to the great dining hall, a feeling of hunger coming to them only at the knowledge that it had been so long since lunch.

"No, like this." Loki said to Aliah. They had retired to their room and had been practicing changing shape. Aliah had been trying for awhile but was not getting it at all.

Loki took her hands and showed her the proper movements again.

"Yes like this, see? You must see in your mind exactly what you wish to become." He said.

"See it in the minutest detail, only then you cast out and merge it into yourself." He added.

Aliah concentrated hard, seeing a great tiger in her mind, its stripes and form becoming clear in her mind before moving the flow of magic through her as Loki had told her. Suddenly her shape wavered, a shimmer passed over her and slowly removed her form, replacing it with the tiger in her mind.

"Yes, very good, you have it." Loki said to the tiger now standing where she had been.

The tiger slowly padded around the room, feeling the new form it had just assumed. Its tail twitched back and forth as it turned around to look directly at Loki.

"Eheheeh, yes, it is delicious is it not my lady?" Loki said with a grin.

The tiger growled a low sound of contentment, walking close to Loki and rubbing up against his leg.

"Ahahah, I knew you would love it." Loki said reaching down to stroke her fur.

"Let's see how well you do changing into other things shall we?" Loki said

A shimmer came over him and suddenly Loki prowled around tiger-Aliah in the form of a black panther.

They prowled around each other before a shimmer came over Aliah, revealing a great wolf. Panther-Loki hissed at the wolf and shimmered briefly as he changed into a large gazelle. They took turns changing into many forms for a while, shimmers of light revealed new forms over and over again; goats became dogs and lions before shifting into bilge snipe and fire drakes. Finally Aliah returned to her original form and stared at Loki as he stood gracefully as a great black mare, a perfect imitation of the one he rode on their journeys.

She patted his velvet nose before Loki became himself again.

"Excellent my lady, you defiantly have the hang of it now." He said before grinning wildly.

"What are you thinking now my dear?" she asked as a shimmer came over him once again. Loki threw his head back in a laugh as he multiplied his form, two, three, now five loki's surrounded her and laughed wildly.

"How about this my lady?" they said in unison. "Would my lady enjoy so many lovers at once?" he asked.

"You are truly naughty my dear. I'm sure I couldn't handle more than one of you at any time." She grinned.

"Oh, too bad, perhaps just two of us?" he said as all but one of the clones disappeared.

"Hmmm," Aliah said with a grin, "that might be interesting." She said finally.

Both Loki's grinned wickedly and walked closer to her, before reaching out and descending upon her. They grabbed her gently and, laughing as they went, led her over to the bed, covering her in kisses and hot groping hands all over as they went.

Outside the door a while later, a passing servant carried a stack of fresh linen in her arms, making for the storage closet down the hall before turning in for the night. She passed by the room occupied by Aliah and Loki and stopped to look at it. Hearing strange sounds she looked around to make sure no one was near and crept to the door, pressing her ear to the crack. Laughter and strange growls came from inside, making her giggle quietly at first before gasping in wonder. She covered her mouth to remain quiet as she heard various howls, followed by what sounded like roars of lions and a horse neighing excitedly.

She turned her head and got the hell away from the door as quickly as she could, trying to put the ideas that came to mind out of her head.


	23. Chapter 23

A month had passed by quickly, filled with the little details such as paperwork and matters of running a small kingdom. Loki and Aliah discussed politics, sociology and the effects of bad leadership upon the people during their days. Afternoons were filled with magic lessons and combat training.

They had almost begun to fall into a rhythm of domesticity. Servants came and went daily, meals were served, and the dull days settled into them.

Finally on a lazy afternoon when Loki was out at weapons training, Aliah looked up from some reports to see Ulfr standing beside her.

"Oh, I didn't see you there, how do you do that?" she asked.

"It's my job." He said simply.

"Well, all right, still maybe you should knock from now on?" she said putting aside some papers.

"Yes my lady, if you say so." He said. "I came to discuss the matter you sent me on." He said.

Aliah shifted in her chair carefully and cleared her throat.

"I see," she said. She had almost forgotten about the note written to him earlier and the memory of it flooded back to her now. She looked around the office and already knew no one was there, still the understanding of what she had thought of brought her again to a place that divided her heart in two.

She felt her mind and heart separate and wished she could go down the way where her heart whispered sweet words quietly. Even as she felt the tenderness calling, still yet she found her mind forcing her ahead, like always, her feet carried along automatically, like some hollow automaton on a pre-set track.

"Well then, what do you have?" she asked.

"There are plenty of wolves around my lady, nothing too special. I tracked a pack as far as Waydale but I found something I think you might find more interesting on my way back." He said.

"Really?" she said perking up.

"I was coming back from tracking the pack, just to the north of there when I came across a huge den. I waited to see what was inside and sure enough, the monstrous Angrboda was there, a single pup was being protected. "He said.

"This Angrboda, what is it exactly?" she asked.

"A monstrous wolf my lady, the biggest wolf I've ever seen, far too powerful for anyone to kill, she leaves the people alone thankfully, so no one has ever needed to dispatch her. Some say she's intelligent in a way, others just say she far too smart of a beast to make such a mistake. Either way, she stays to herself, but she is near. Would that suit your purposes better my lady?" he asked.

"And what do you know of my purposes?" she asked.

"It's none of my business." He said casually. "You asked me to find where the wolves are and I did. This one is special however, figured you'd like to know." He said.

Aliah nodded to him, knowing he neither cared why she wanted to know or to what end. She studied him carefully, watching him sit there and searched his mind. A hot bath and cask of ale was all he cared about at that exact moment.

"Show me." She said to him.

Ulfr pulled out a small device and Aliah looked within it, seeing an image of the great wolf inside. She smiled and nodded back to him.

"Excellent Ulfr, I thank you. I want to make this clear, don't tell anyone else about this, understand?" she asked.

"Of course. You know you have no need to worry about what I think." He said simply.

Nodding to herself she looked at Ulfr carefully and spoke.

"Ready a few men, make sure they are quiet men as well Ulfr. When I'm ready I'll send you a message, take the men and capture her. Do not hurt her, make sure of that. Take her to the outpost at Bellea. House her there deep in the dungeon, make sure the caretaker feeds her well and takes the highest care of her understood?" she said.

"Yes ma'am." He said as he stood up.

"Anything else?" he said before turning to leave.

"Yes, go kill the pup first. I don't care how just don't hurt Angrboda. Leave her be, and do it tonight. Wait for my message to go capture her after I'm done with her. "She said.

"As you wish." He said as he left.

Aliah sat back in her chair raising a hand to her mouth. As she lost herself in thought, she sat quietly contemplating the path she found herself going down.

After an hour or so Loki came walking in, sweaty from exertion but sporting a huge grin.

"You look happy today." Aliah said without moving.

"Ah yes, very much. I can safely say that I am doing quite well with my throwing knives. I even bested Master Gunnar today!" he grinned.

"Well, that is something to be proud of." Aliah said lowering her hand finally.

"Ha ha! Yes indeed." Loki answered. "And you my lady, how are you today?" he asked.

"Same as usual." She said.

"I see, something on your mind?" Loki asked.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe I just need a diversion or something." She said.

"Oh I do like diversions." Loki answered evilly.

Aliah looked at him and couldn't help but smile.

"Not that you evil man." She answered trying to hide her smile.

"Aww, pity." Loki answered. "Well fine, be that way, I'm going for a shower before dinner. Care to join me?" he asked.

"Actually, how about a sauna?" she said.

"Oh yes! That is a fantastic idea! Come on let's go now!" he said with a gleam in his eye.

Loki reached out and took her hand, forcing her up from her chair.

"Come on, you've been stuck in this chair for the longest time pushing papers around. Let's go relax." He said.

"Oh fine, dinner can wait." She said.

Loki grinned and grasped her hand in his, pulling her towards the door and down the hall towards the saunas.

"Oooooohh yessssss." Loki said from beside her as he leaned back against the wall. They were surrounded by swirls of hot steam in the cedar sauna. The smell was fresh and wonderful and the heat opened up every pore, relaxing every muscle as they sat wrapped in towels upon a bench.

Aliah reached out and took a ladle of water from a bucket, pouring it onto the hot rocks releasing more steam into the hot room.

"Yes I do need to relax more. Make sure you remind me to do this more often please." She said lazily.

"um-hum." Loki called happily back.

Aliah sat back against the wall and closed her eyes, enjoying the heat and steam and the smell of Loki, still dirty from his training earlier. She had insisted he not shower before entering, despite his protests, he smelled amazing. The scent of his sweat and musk along with the dirt, it was intoxicating, she couldn't explain it, but it drove her crazy and she wanted to breathe him in deep.

"What would you say to you and me taking a little outing? Just the two of us?" she asked.

"Oh yes, of course my lady. I would never say no to you, you know that. Our adventures are always so, enlightening." He said with a grin.

"Hehehe, yes, well good I'm glad you approve. How about in a few days?" she said.

"Absolutely." Loki answered.

Aliah laid her head back again and relaxed, all the while thinking of the future that was rushing forward.

Three days later Aliah woke up early before dawn. Loki was still sleeping beside her, lost in a dream world somewhere far away. She looked over to him and watched his face, so peaceful and kind. His mouth had fallen slightly open and she watched him breathing, his eyes moving behind his eyelids. He was beautiful, his pale skin shone of perfect porcelain in the moonlight.

Aliah quietly got up and walked over to the balcony, sitting down in the chair she propped up her feet and looked out over the meadows and forests below them, taking in the scene and quietly thinking to herself.

She watched the moons descend across the sky and observed the first hint of the dawn creeping slowly across the sky.

'I can't tell him. If this works, how could he ever know? But how can I keep it from him, how could he know….this is the only way. The only way….one day….maybe he would thank me…he'll know one day…one day he'll be angry enough….Odin will show his hand one day…and then..'

Behind and to her side, Loki stirred and rolled over in the bed. Aliah looked over to him and watched him settle in again falling back to sleep. She slowly got up and walked back to him, curling around behind his body, she buried her head in his neck and held him tightly, breathing in his scent before falling back to sleep herself.

"Wake up!" Loki called beside her.

Aliah opened her eyes as Loki rocked her back and forth to raise her.

"Ungh….your excited." Aliah said wearily.

"Yesssss, come on, let's get going! You said today we would leave for our little break! Come on!" Loki called.

"Ungh….fine, I'm up." She called back.

Loki rolled her over and pushed her to sit up, all the while grinning madly, excited to be off and away from the drudgery of his studies and practices.

They quickly showered and dressed, walking down to breakfast afterwards excited for a retreat.

After their meal, Loki wiped his mouth and stood up quickly from the table.

"Let's go get the horses ready." He called.

"Actually," Aliah started, "I was thinking you and I could just go alone." She said.

"What do you mean?" Loki asked.

"Well, it'll give me good practice with shape shifting." She winked.

Loki let an evil grin cross his face and just nodded.

"Ahh, yes that does sound enchanting." He said slowly.

They grinned at each other as Aliah rose from her chair to walk towards the kitchens.

"Let's get some supplies first then we can go." She called.

"As you wish." Loki called.

They walked out behind the stables hand in hand and stopped.

"Let's head north." Aliah said. "What should we do first?" she asked. "Horses you think?"

Loki said nothing as he grinned towards her, shifting into the form of a great black mare.

"Ok, that's settled then.' Aliah grinned, slowly shifting into the form of a white mare beside him.

They galloped off together towards the north, chasing each other and kicking up great clouds of dust behind them as they went.

Early afternoon came and the two of them came galloping to a small cottage beside a beautiful clear lake. Aliah stopped and shimmered back to her regular form.

Loki trotted beside her and changed back as well.

"Well this is lovely." He said. "And even better, no sleeping rough it seems." He smiled.

"Yes, I thought this place would do nicely. I'll go set up the bed if you start a fire and cook dinner, what do you say?" she asked.

"Of course my lady." Loki answered.

An hour later aliah came back out of the cottage and smelled steaks cooking over a fire. Loki had set up a swing with comfortable cushions big enough for two beside the fire and lazily swung back and forth as he tended their dinner.

"Smells amazing." Aliah called.

"I'm sure it will be my lady." He called back.

She sat down and laid her head in his lap as they relaxed and stared out across the lake.

After dinner they laid back in the swing and watched the light dance off the lake before them. They fell asleep in each other's arms as the afternoon passed, enjoying the fresh air and lack of responsibilities.

The sun was setting as Aliah awoke in Loki's arms. She turned her head and kissed his cheek gently, brushing her hand down his neck.

"Mmmmm don't stop." Loki called, keeping his eyes shut as he spoke.

Aliah chuckled softly and ran her hands down his chest and arms. She moved slightly and kissed his lips. Loki kissed her back running his tongue around her lips before kissing her deeply.

They shifted their weight to face each other as they embraced, running their hands down each other as their tongues swirled around the others. She felt his passion building and Aliah ran her hands down to Loki's pants, gently brushing over his manhood. Her hands encouraged his passion and Loki grinned wildly as she moved her tongue down his neck, down to his chest and slowly inched lower.

"Yes my lady." He called to her. "Please, don't stop, I do so love when we are under the stars." He said breathily.

Aliah chuckled slightly and moved lower, bringing her mouth to breath hot air upon the bulge in Loki's pants.

Loki hissed a lusty sound to her as she ran her teeth over him now, over his bulging pants, the feeling of her lips and teeth making his manhood desperately try to break free of his lacings.

Aliah giggled again and rose up, taking all her attention away from his need.

"Aw, please, don't stop." He pleaded.

"Come and get me." She said simply as a shimmer came over her, transforming her into a great wolf.

Loki grinned evilly to her as he watched her shimmer into the new form.

"Oh yes, let's have some fun shall we?" he chuckled as he rose from the swing.

As he took a step forward, Aliah-wolf snarled menacingly and stepped back.

Loki grinned and shimmered quickly before turning into a large wolf himself. Aliah watched him transform before turning around and running off, Loki-wolf following behind her around the lake and into the woods.

Aliah ran with her nose in the air, searching, searching, sensing for the presence of Angrboda. She cast out her mind and felt Loki behind her, hot with animal lust and passion in his being.

She sensed it now, turning down a deer trail and running as fast as she could. The den was large and Angrboda was not far away from it. She had been stalking rabbits and took no notice of her yet, Aliah saw her and quickly shifted into the form of an owl, flying high into the tree and quietly waited.

Loki turned the corner and came upon the great wolf, snarling in his lust as he did.

Angrboda looked up and snarled back, a heat upon her at the loss of her pup. They circled each other, snarling and snapping at each other before Loki-wolf jumped onto her, snarling and biting as he took her forcefully. Angrboda fought for a time before relenting, allowing him to take her as long as he wished.

Aliah watched them for a minute before silently flying back to the cottage to become herself again. Sitting back on the swing, she waited for Loki to return and quickly thought about what she would do next.

'I could tell him. Would he be happy at the knowledge of a monster child? What would he think? Maybe I shouldn't say anything at all.' She argued quietly.

Final she made up her mind as she saw a wolf come around the lake towards her.

Loki ran up to the swing and shimmered back to his original form.

"Oh you are wild my lady." He said with a grin between heavy breaths.

Loki fell into the swing beside her and kissed her deeply, running his hands down her as he went.

"Oh yes, my handsome one, I am at that." She answered.

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how's is going fans? thanks so much to all you who have given kudos and reviews...they keep me going! i am so pleased to see more and more followers and favorites. thanks so much for all the love! sorry for such late updates...i am in the process of making sure this story is fully ported here from the previous site it was posted to.....things are getting intense for poor loki...what are your thoughts?


	24. Chapter 24

The week passed quickly, and Loki and Aliah fell into their old routines as they tended to the same boring tasks daily.

Breakfast, followed by books and more books followed by discussions, weapons training, magic lessons, dinner, shower, and then to bed.

"Ugh," Aliah said throwing a stack of papers in the air one day. "Ooogh I'm so bored, gods dammit, something interesting needs to happen already." She said to the ceiling.

Loki smirked from behind a book but did not look up. "I've heard that's a curse on some realms you know." He said quietly.

"Ugh I don't care anymore! Lords the monotony is killing me." She answered.

The door to her office opened and Bjorn walked in with a large stack of papers clutched in his hands. As he kicked the door closed behind him, he leveled a sour look towards Aliah as soon as he saw various important papers strewn over the floor.

"Erm, my lady, do you require assistance? These reports are needed as soon as possible, throwing them around will accomplish nothing." He said.

"Oh Bjorn," Aliah said in an exasperated tone. "I don't care, ill tend to them later. I'm sick of it all for now, anyway what do you want?" she said.

"Well this came for you," he said handing over a few letters, "also we have a small matter with the wall."

Aliah took the letters and examined them, one for her from Ulfr and another for Loki.

"Huh, looks like you have some mail my dear." she said as she handed the letter over her shoulder to him.

Loki looked up from his book with a questioning look. "for me eh?" he said as he rose from his chair and took it from her grasp.

Aliah and Loki opened their respective letters and fell silent as they read them out. Bjorn stayed standing awkwardly in front of the desk waiting for them to finish.

"Ah yes, mother sends her regards. So nice of her to finally write." He finally said.

"Well that was nice." Aliah said looking up from her letter.

"Humph," Loki sounded. "I guess so, like I really needed a status update about my golden brother. "He said quietly.

The letter had not so much mentioned anything but his brother really, it was annoying. Still, at least his mother had written, so far nothing had come from his father or brother or anyone else for that matter. It was almost nice to hear from his mother but hearing about his brother only angered him.

"Just more nonsense as usual." Loki said as he threw the letter into the trash and returned to his book to take his mind off of it.

Aliah frowned as she listened to him. Frankly she was surprised he hadn't heard from his mother more, but now that she realized her letter contained mostly a report of all the things his brother was doing, she decided if any more came, maybe she would hold onto them.

Aliah reread her own letter and nodded her head; the words rang out form the page in her mind.

-Angrboda taken with no incident. Being treated well in the lowest hold of the keep. Will keep you informed of her status.

-Ulfr

Aliah quickly waved her fingers making it disappear into thin air.

Aliah stared at her desk, a slight frown covering her face, for a few moments before she realized Bjorn was still there.

"Yes?" Aliah finally said as she looked up and readjusted her expression into a more neutral tone.

"My lady, it's about the wall." He said with a slight bow.

"Oh yes, that again. Well, what's going on there? Has it been six months already?" she said.

"Well, as you know, we had no confidence that the mason could finish the wall around our city so you agreed to his demands. Now however my lady, he is very close to finishing the task and I thought you should know, if he does, we stand to lose a considerable amount." He said.

"You're kidding." Aliah said simply. "That madman is actually close to finishing? How is that possible? It was just he and a horse." She said with wide eyes.

Loki looked up from his book and watched Aliah slump down in her chair, her hand on her temple as if trying to silence a headache coming on.

"What's this about?" he asked.

"Oh, just this stonemason answered a call I put out. The walls around town were so old they needed to be completely rebuilt. So this old stone mason comes in and says he can do the job in six months, all by himself, and his horse. We all laughed of course, and we laughed even harder when he demanded a huge amount of gold and a thousand acres for himself when he finished on time." Aliah said.

"So I thought what the hell? There was no way he could do it, and certainly not in six months. I thought whatever he completed would only make it that much easier when a work crew got on it when he failed. Now however, if he's really about to complete the damn thing…well…I can't afford to let that happen honestly." She said rubbing her temples.

Loki nodded as he listened to her taking in her words carefully.

"This can't be happening." Aliah finally added.

"It is my lady, what should we do?" Bjorn asked seriously.

"I'll take care of it." Loki said from behind them.

Bjorn and Aliah looked over to Loki and stared at him.

"Are you sure?" Aliah said carefully. "You know, I can't afford to have you hurt while under my care." She said.

"Don't worry. You know you can count on me and besides," he said. "It sounds like a good excuse to have some fun." He added.

Aliah studied him carefully and finally smiled. She knew he was quite capable of causing trouble and he could probably use a break anyway.

"Oh fine, as long as you can promise me that no one will know it's you, or that I sent you. No one must know we are involved, understand?" Aliah added seriously.

"That won't be a problem." Loki said with a wink towards her.

"I hope so." She said to him with a serious look. "And don't get hurt promise me okay?" she added.

"No need to worry my lady. I guarantee everything will be just fine." Loki said.

"Are you sure my lady?" Bjorn asked her.

"Sure Bjorn, let him try, if he fails I don't really see how any of us could do anything about it anyway, so might as well let him try. I can whip him if he fails…" (this brought a quick wince and a pained look of disbelief from Loki as he watched her)… and it's better than just going out and getting rid of the guy. People might talk." She said.

"As you wish my lady. It should be done tonight you should know." He added as he turned to leave.

Aliah turned to look at Loki once the door was closed. He was reading his book again as if nothing had happened.

"You're going to start a bunch of shit aren't you?" she said with a grin.

Loki looked up from his book and just smiled a toothy evil grin towards her. "Me?" he said. "I can't decide if I would enjoy you whipping me yet or not." He added.

Aliah grinned back and just shook her head as she turned back around and started picking up papers from the floor.

"That was wonderful my lady." Loki said as he wiped his mouth on the white napkin. He stood up and walked over to Aliah, pulling her chair out for her and helping her up from the table, his hand extended towards her.

"I take it your itching to get out and deal with our problem aren't you?" she said as she stood.

"Oh yes my lady." He said holding her hand in his. "I promise I will return before the sun is up." He said, kneeling down before her.

"I would certainly hope so!" she said to him.

Loki kissed her hand tenderly and stood back up, stepping close to her.

"Thank you for letting me take care of this. I can do this, you know that." He winked to her.

"Don't cause too much trouble alright?" she said simply.

"As you wish." He said with a grin. Loki wrapped his arms around her suddenly and dipped her back slightly. His kiss was hot and passionate and held her there for the longest time before sucking her bottom lip into his mouth and finished with a slight 'pop'. Aliah's eyes opened to see him staring deeply into hers, a mischievous grin on his face as he planted a few smaller quick kisses on her before leaning her back up.

Aliah grinned to him and chuckled.

"Alright you, go have fun then." She said.

Loki nodded and grinned wildly to her before turning to head out the door to his task.

"And Loki," Aliah called as he turned his head to look back. "Be careful."

Loki nodded and bowed slightly before continuing out the door.

It was late, so late that it was early in the morning. Aliah sat in the chair by the balcony looking out across the meadows. Loki had still not come home and she was trying not to worry.

'He's fine, why am I worried?' she kept thinking. 'He's just out causing havoc, he needed an outlet anyway.' She thought.

'still, I swear to gods, if I find out he was frolicking with some peasant girl…' she thought for a second if it would really be a problem if he was, which was highly unlikely anyway, no one could match her skills and even if he had…well a whip would be appropriate in that case, and she went back and forth between being worried and considering whipping him anyway for being so late.

She finally got up with a huff and flung herself into the empty bed.

'He'll be back soon I'm sure. Just stop worrying already. Let him have a little fun.' She thought.

She curled around his pillow and smelled his scent on it as she laid there relaxing. After a short time she eased into a comfortable position and was about to fall asleep when the door to the bedchamber opened quietly.

Aliah barely heard the noise and kept her eyes closed, feigning sleep to see what would happen.

Loki quietly walked over to his side of the bed taking off his boots and clothes, letting them fall to the floor into a pile. He walked quietly into the bath and Aliah heard the shower turn on.

Aliah listened to Loki as he walked into the shower and stayed there for the longest time. She lay there quietly, sensing something from him. There was a certain…oddness she couldn't put her finger on. Before she realized she could reach out and listen to his mind, she jolted slightly, the hypnic jerk reaction letting her know she had fallen asleep but had kicked back awake just then.

The shower finally shut off and Aliah could hear Loki drying himself with a towel. Slowly he walked back to bed and crawled in. silently he pushed Aliah off his pillow and replaced it at the head of the bed. He settled into a comfortable position and spooned into her back, caressing her and nuzzling into her hair. Loki grabbed the covers and tucked Aliah in gently, making sure her shoulders weren't cold from the night air and buried his head into her neck caressing and nuzzling her for the longest time before finally falling asleep.

'He's just tired from all the mischief he caused.' She thought quietly. She settled into her pillow and fell asleep after she heard his soft snores, happy that he was back safe and sound.

Aliah slept late the next morning. Having been up late waiting for Loki had taken it out of her. When she finally did wake up, she found herself still in his arms. She rolled over and saw his eyes fluttering slightly, fully in the embrace of the dream he was imagining. She smiled and knew he would probably be asleep a while longer after such a long night.

Aliah silently slid out from his grasp and tucked him into the covers. Waving her hand she dressed and picked up a pair of boots beside the bed, carrying them to the door, she silently opened it and crept outside before putting them on, careful to not wake him from his much needed rest.

She walked downstairs and into the kitchens. "My lady!" the head cook called when she saw her walk in.

"Good morning," Aliah said. "No, no its ok please don't worry, Lord Loki is asleep still, he had a long night and I didn't wish to disturb him. I'll just have breakfast on the back patio this morning if you please." She said.

"Of course my lady." She answered with a quick bow.

"Thank you Signy." Aliah called as she walked out towards the little garden out back.

It was two cups of tea having gone cold later when Aliah looked up from her work to check the time. It had been a while and she was starting to wonder what was going on. 3:00 displayed on the clock across the room.

'Really? Ok this is ridiculous.' She thought.

Aliah sighed and got up from the chair, walking back in the door she slowly headed up through the various rooms to the bed chambers where Loki was.

Aliah opened the door quietly and looked in. Loki was still in bed wrapped up in the covers. She closed the door quietly and slipped off her boots. Sliding into the covers she spooned around behind him caressing his arms and kissing his neck.

'Hey you." She gently cooed. "Have you decided to not wake up today?"

Loki sighed and pulled her arms closer around him not letting her go.

Aliah giggled quietly and nuzzled closer to his neck. "Come on you." She called.

"I would be delighted to." He said quietly as he raised her hand to his mouth and kissed it over and over. "Stay here, just a little longer." He called.

Aliah let out a little 'humph' but settled her head down into the pillow as she curled around him more. She kicked her leg out and slid it between his, embracing him fully with her body. She felt Loki give a slight jerk as her leg slid in, but then relaxed and held her tightly.

Aliah knew something was wrong, it was obvious now and she couldn't help but let her mind wander to his. Looking inside of him she saw his thoughts clearly. Loki was galloping with all his might in the form of the great black mare. The stonemasons horse hot on his tail, a feeling of lust within them both, consuming them. Loki ran and ran, leading the great stallion far away from the wall and the camp where he and the stonemason had camped these near six months. Tearing through trees and fields and streams, Loki ran, leading him far away, the breeze was cool through his mane, muscles pounding, hooves thundering across the land. It was freedom, total freedom and passion driving the stallion mad as he chased after Loki in the form of the mare.

She saw Loki, finally unable to run anymore, the stallion overtaking Loki and then…

Aliah snapped out of his head. 'Oh, that's what it is….oh dear Loki….your ashamed you enjoyed it.' Aliah smiled to herself. She stifled a small giggle at the knowledge of Loki's little tryst with the stallion, no wonder he was so tired and a little ashamed. She understood now, the long gallop back after they had uncoupled, the heat of it all, the chase before, it all made sense now.

She made a mental note to take care of Loki's other needs more often, he obviously needed more than what she was giving and silently made a mental note to brew up some energy potions for herself to compensate. She snuggled down deeper into his neck and nuzzled him with her lips.

"Its ok my dear." she said gently. "You sleep all you need, you had a long night."

Loki nodded from in front of her as he pulled her closer to him still.

'Oh my dear Loki,' she thought. 'Don't feel bad for your want; you were in the embrace of the animal passion overtaking you.' She thought.

She knew exactly what he needed, even if he was too overwhelmed with it all. Aliah waved her hand, casting the spell Loki had led her to months earlier. She felt it take effect and pressed herself close to him, kissing his neck and nuzzling her mouth in his hair.

"It's ok." She called. "I'm here."

Loki sighed and gripped her arms tighter; he pushed his hips out towards her slightly, pushing her manhood into the small of his back. Aliah nuzzled against him, covering his back with kisses.

"Is this what you need?" she whispered into his ear.

Loki nodded from in front of her whispering, "I always need you."

Aliah's member responded and pushed stiffly into the small of his back. He pushed back against her, feeling her member grind into him.

Aliah smiled and gently bucked against him, letting him feel her. He let out a low moan, feeling her need so close to him. Loki tried to roll over but she stopped him, she held him down to the bed and nuzzled his neck more. She reached down and stroked his slit, feeling the hot wetness growing under him.

She pushed out and forced her member to his entrance, as Loki sighed and moaned softly.

"Take me, please make me yours." He called.

Aliah took Loki's leg in her hand and held his leg up, slightly opening him as she pushed inside gently, sucking in a hiss of air as she felt his hot wetness wrap around her. He bucked against her, forcing her in fast and hard.

"You want it hard?" Aliah moaned into his ear.

"Gods yes, take me." He called.

Aliah bucked into him and gave him every inch, thrusting her hips deep and fast to Loki's moans and cries.

She felt her release build up immediately in her navel; she desperately tried to stave it off. She fucked him hard and deep, spurred on by his moans and soft calls. Their voices united in mumbled calls and groans of pleasure. 'oh fuck….shit yes." Loki called.

"Oh gods…fuck yes." Aliah answered back.

Incoherent mumbles and curses passed between them as they struggled, finally Aliah could hold on no longer and she thrust into him with abandon. Loki cried out and bit his lip, his release so close.

She felt his spasm as he came for her, his breath hitched as he cried out for her. His release fluttered around her member bringing her to her ecstasy. Aliah groaned and felt herself explode deep inside him, she humped him in time to her contractions, feeling him hot and wet around her. Loki clutched at her arms holding her tightly and Aliah pressed herself hard against him, holding him in her arms.

Their panting and thrashing finally subsided, and they went limp holding onto each other tightly.

Finally Aliah recovered her breath, kissing Loki's neck gently.

"Better?" she called gently.

"Oh yes." Loki answered.

She pulled Loki's shoulder and forced him to face her; he came over and hugged her closely, burying his face deep into her breast.

Aliah stroked his back and arms, kissing his forehead and running her thumb down his jaw and chin. She pushed his eyes up to hers and made him look at her.

She smiled into his eyes and gave him a reassuring wink.

"You ok now?" she asked.

"Yes, thank you…Aliah…I…" Loki started.

"No….shhhh…you had too much fun last night…don't worry my dear…its ok." Aliah called.

Loki smiled and nodded. "You sure?" he said quietly.

"Oh yes…you deserve it…you deserve everything." Aliah called.

She winked at him and a giggle came across them both.

"Come on you, let's get some food, I'm sure you're starved." She said finally.

"Ohhhhhh yes." Loki answered back. "That would be most welcome." He said.


	25. Chapter 25

Another people's court was in planning and paperwork and reports were piled high onto Aliah's desk. The wall had been rebuilt by the work crew and the stonemason had conceded his defeat easily, to her great relief.

As Aliah set about with her preparations for the court, she barely noticed Loki coming down every morning, later and later.

Finally one morning Aliah looked up and noticed that it was 10:30, and no sign of Loki anywhere.

"Gods dammit." Aliah said to the clock. Throwing aside her papers she got up and slowly walked around the room. She wandered over to Loki's desk beside her own and stared at his books. Bookmarks and scraps of paper stuck out at weird angles from every one of them, noting important passages or adding notes about certain things.

Now that Aliah thought about it, he had begun to slack off in his duties recently.

"This won't do, I guess it's time for another lesson." Aliah mumbled and walked out the door.

"Really don't have time for this shit." She mumbled absentmindedly as she walked up the stairs in a haze of red, her coattails flying, boots clacking on the floor.

She arrived at the bedchamber and flew open the door. "Where the fuck are you?" she called out.

But there was no reply. Aliah looked around, Loki was not in bed, he wasn't on the balcony, he wasn't by the fireplace, he was nowhere to be seen. Aliah searched round in a daze, nothing. "What the fuck?" she said quietly. It was then that she heard it, a sound of shuffling around in the bath. She walked over to the doorway and listened quietly. There was someone in the bathroom, and it had to be Loki, it couldn't be anyone else.

*knock* *knock*-"are you in there?" she called.

"Umm hmm, yes uh…I'll...be right out." She heard Loki respond. She listened some more and heard Loki shuffling around; the water turned on in the sink and after a time shut off. Finally the door opened.

"Nice of you to come out." Aliah said to him with a frown. She crossed her arms over her chest and starred at him. It was then that she saw his eyes, red, watery, something was wrong.

Loki said nothing as he fixed his eyes on the wardrobe and started walking over to the bed. He quietly grabbed his boots and sat down, sliding them on slowly.

Aliah just turned her head and followed him with her gaze. Quietly she took in his slow movements; he sighed once his boots were on and sat there quietly.

Aliah finally let her expression soften, 'he must be bored. It can get so tedious around here. Still, he can't keep doing this, there's really no time, not right now.' She thought

Aliah walked over and stood in front of him, towering over him as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"Loki, I know you must be bored, but really you must not be late, ever. We talked about this before; I need you to take your responsibilities seriously. If you cannot, we will have to have a …discussion." She said to him.

"Yes I know…" Loki said as he leaned over and put his head in his hands. "I'm sorry, truly, I just….I haven't been feeling well."

"Haven't felt well? Why didn't you say something?" Aliah said. "Do you need to see my physician? I have a really good one here…."

"No, no physicians…I'll…I'll be fine...I just…" he stumbled.

"Look you need to get it together alright?" Aliah sighed. "Either go see my physician, or get your crap together and come down and let's get some work done."

"My apologies" Loki said as he stood up, a pained look on his face.

"I'm not trying…" but he was cut off as his knees gave out making him fall forward into Aliah's arms.

"Gods! What the fuck?" Aliah said as she caught him before he hit the floor.

"Dammit, Loki...hey come on….sit down here." She lowered Loki to the side of the bed quickly and propped him up.

Loki moaned softly as he lilted to the side, his body threatening to give out on him.

"Ok that's it, I'm calling the physician." She said quickly, slapping his face gently to force him back to consciousness.

"No…" Loki called softly. "No, no doctors…"

"Loki, look at you, you're not well…"

"Aliah…" Loki answered, looking up finally into her eyes. He reached his hand up and put his palm on her cheek. Aliah stopped; she stared at him waiting for him to say something.

"Aliah, I…I need to tell you something." Loki said finally.

"Are you that ill? You must let me send for help." She said.

"No, Aliah…" Loki bit his lip and looked away, desperately trying to hide from her eyes. He wished he could crawl away and escape this moment desperately.

"What? Tell me, what's wrong with you?" she called.

"Aliah…I'm…uh…look I'm."

"You're babbling, I'm calling the physician." She said. Loki grabbed her hand as she turned to ring the bell for a servant, not letting her move.

"Listen to me dammit." He called.

Aliah turned back and sat beside him now, Loki became deathly serious, his eyes looked deep into hers and she noticed the tears just then, welling up in his eyes, a look of panic behind his features overtaking him now.

"I'm so sorry….Aliah….I'm…..I'm pregnant." Loki said quietly.

"I'm sorry….what?" Aliah said but it was too late, Loki couldn't get another word out between the choking sobs now as he turned away from her face, tears rolling down his cheeks.

'Oh fuck, uhhhhh….comfort him ...or something.' Her mind screamed.

Aliah had no idea what to do just then, she hesitated for a second before finally reaching out and pulling him back towards her into a strong embrace, forcing his head down into her chest, she held him and he tried to control himself. Loki desperately fought to regain control; he finally stopped his tears and hugged her back quickly before sitting back up.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that, please forgive me." He finally said, wiping his face with his hand.

"No, no it's uh….it's ok….are you? Um, did you say...uhh." Aliah asked again still holding onto his arm, her other arm wrapped round his waist as he sat.

Loki turned to look at her and screwed up his courage, finally responding with a quick, "I said I'm pregnant." Loki winced and tried to turn away again but she reached out and prevented it. She forced his head up and sat there, staring directly at him.

Her mind raced, it made sense now, ever since the wall…and …"oh dear god…the horse. "She said quietly.

"Yes…" Loki spit out finally.

'Fuck, do something quick before this goes downhill real fast.' She heard her mind scream.

Aliah did the first thing that came to mind, she had to make this better, she had to make him better, and most of all, she had to get control of the situation.

Aliah turned around and knelt on her knees beside him, she reached out and encircled him in her arms, pulling him close to her in a tight embrace.

"Oh my gods! Loki, oh my gods! This is wonderful! You going to be...a…mother!" she said to him.

She felt Loki jolt in her arms, his eyes went wide in disbelief and she felt him hold her back finally.

"You're not mad?" Loki said in amazement as he stared at her.

"No! No, oh my dear…no! This is…wonderful…amazing! Oh my gods…do you need anything? What do I do? Oh my gods…are you hungry?" she said quickly almost all at once.

"No, I'll be fine, oh no I couldn't eat a thing, please gods no..." Loki answered, a smile coming to his face.

"Are…are you sure? Oh gods…you need supplements, I should get you some, immediately! Yes that's what you need now…you're going to have a baby!" she called loudly, almost screaming in his face.

Loki chuckled now openly, his face blushing wildly at her attention, he had been so scared to death but the relief he felt now was overwhelming. He had expected Aliah to be so very angry, there were things…for unwanted pregnancies and he half expected her to perform one of them on him. But now his fear subsided and he felt a wave of relief wash over him. He had known only a few days; he had been terrified, of her, her reaction, the consequences…the child itself growing inside him. Surely it would be a monster he knew, but he had no way of hating the life inside him, he wanted the child, no matter what it meant.

"I was so worried, my lady…that you...would…." he started.

"What? My dear, hate you? Oh my gods Loki…noo…no…shhhhhh never…" she said.

She held him tighter and Loki gladly fell into her grasp. They sat there, scared and unbelieving, each in their own mind wondering about the future, what was it? What was it going to be?

"Is…it...I mean…are you thinking of not…" Aliah started.

"No, I couldn't, I could never…"

"Ok, yes I just had to ask….that's good…it's going to be fine." She quickly responded.

"Is it? Is it okay? I don't…I don't know…well you know." Loki said.

"Well, that will happen on its own you know." Aliah said with a grin.

"No, I mean…well I know that...but…father, and mother too…what will they think? I can't…I just can't..." he said looking away.

"Oh, is that all? Oh my dear." Aliah said chuckling now. "If you don't want them to know, then they won't. I'll see to it. There's no need to fear, I promise." Aliah reassured him.

"My gods, oh yes thank you…they can't know, ever......please." Loki called, his eyes starting to well up again.

"Oh hey don't start that again now, it's fine, no one will know, about…our…" Aliah looked into his eyes and flashed him a questioning look.

Loki smiled back at her and blushed slightly. "I would like it to be ours…but…" he said quietly.

"Do you want it to be?"

"I would…but only if you…do you?"

"Oh my gods yes of course!"

"But, what if it's….a...it won't be …normal."

"And just what is normal? Ymir was born form a drop of frost that melted. Do you want me Loki, for this child?" she asked.

"Oh yes, Aliah, this will be our baby. Yes ours!" Loki called.

"Hahah!" Aliah chuckled and kissed his lips. "Oh my dear, yes, whatever comes, we will make it alright. I promise you that. You understand? I will be here for you my dear." Aliah said between kisses.

"Yes, that is what I want….thank you my lady…Aliah…" Loki said as he looked up into her eyes.

And now they were embracing, his head buried in her chest grasping her tightly in his arms.

"Can we really not let anyone know?" Loki said finally, "Odin…my mother…"

"No dear, they don't need to know, no one will know, it will be fine." Aliah reassured him.

"That would be best." Loki said simply.

"Come on you, let's go see the physician. I want to make sure you're alright. I can't have anything happen to you my dear." she said with a smile.

Loki nodded and let her help him from the bed, he stood up carefully and they both giggled slightly, a reflex action that relieved them both.

"What if he talks?" Loki said quickly as they started to walk to the door.

"Oh don't worry dear; I'll just wipe his mind when we leave." She said simply.

Loki started to ask about such a flippant comment, but he decided that he quite agreed and walked out the door with Aliah, their arms around each other as they walked.

"Yes, well…" the physician stammered. His mind desperately sought to find the right words, more than that, he wondered if he would be allowed to live. He carefully looked up from his medical screen and stared at lady Aliah. He was scared, nothing like this had ever happened and all he could do was his job at that moment.

"Congratulations, you are indeed pregnant." He said with a forced smile.

Loki looked over at Aliah from the bed he was lying on; a smile crossed his face as he looked to her.

Aliah smiled down at him and patted his hand, reassuring him.

"Thank you doctor. Will he need anything?" Aliah asked.

"Yes well, we will start him on these…" he said as he walked over to a large cabinet. He pulled out a large bottle of pills. "These are supplements; you should take two a day, extra nutrition to make sure you and the…child are healthy." He said handing it over to Aliah.

"I understand. Anything else? I want him to have the best care possible." She answered as she took the bottle.

"Well aside from these, just get plenty of rest, eat as much as you wish and perhaps some reading?" he answered. "There are numerous volumes on pregnancy that should help prepare you both." He said.

Loki swung over the side of the bed and reached for his shirt that was draped over a chair near him.

"Thank you doctor. " Aliah said to him. She turned to see Loki putting on his shirt again and stepped closer to the doctor, making sure to get up as close as possible to the man. She knelt her mouth down to his ear and whispered, "I want you to know…I was going to wipe your mind sir, but seeing as how lord Loki needs someone to be familiar with his….extraordinary circumstances…I'm sure you can understand why I have thought twice about that." She said carefully.

"Yes my lady…I swear to you…I would never" he started.

"Oh I know…..I know you wouldn't dream of saying anything…."she said as she gripped his arm in her hands tightly. "…to anyone about this…ever… now would you?" she asked quietly.

"No, my lady, never, this will be between you and I…I swear it, by all the gods." He said carefully.

"I would certainly hope not. I wouldn't want anything to happen to you. You are such a good physician and you have served me well for so long. It would be a shame." She said to him, her eyes looking directly into his.

"My lady, I swear it." He answered simply.

"Excellent. I thank you good sir. When should he return?" she said, a wide smile on her face as she took a step back.

"Erm, in a months' time will suffice. As he progresses we will meet more frequently, but for now, once a month should be fine. Unless of course he starts having problems. Any cramps or bleeding, call me at once." He said, a bead of sweat falling from his brow onto his small round glasses.

"Understood. I thank you sir." She said simply. Aliah turned around and saw Loki standing beside the chair, looking at her. He had turned around just in time to see her take her hand away from the physician's arm; he smiled and immediately knew that in her own way, Aliah was protecting him. Protecting his little secret that was now theirs and he felt a thrill of love pass over him. A gentle smile came to his lips and he thought of how happy that evil smile of hers made him feel.

'She's so protective. How odd, such a good….father…?' he thought.

He smirked to himself, looking down at the floor; he placed a hand on his abdomen and smiled. He looked up again and saw her turn around and look at him, she flashed a quick smile and he winked back at her.

Loki walked over to her side and smiled at the physician. The little man was trying desperately to hide his fear, and failing. Loki nodded to him, giving him a quick, "thank you sir, for your help."

"I am at your service my lord, you should rest, and don't forget to take your supplements. You should have a healthy baby in erm…nine to twelve months." He said carefully.

Aliah's head whipped around and almost snapped off. "NINE TO TWELVE?" she almost screamed.

Loki's eyes went wide before gritting his teeth, trying not to think about it.

"Yes well, these are extraordinary circumstances…" he quickly answered trying to find someplace to duck behind.

'Fuck my life.' Aliah's brain screamed.

"Yes, I…understand, well thank you doctor." She glared. She leveled her gaze at him and the doctor nodded to her, an unspoken acknowledgement of her earlier threat before he bowed so low he almost folded himself in half before her.

Aliah turned around to face Loki again and smiled at him, not before he saw the look she leveled at the little man. He couldn't help but chuckle at her protectiveness and took her arm gently. "Come my lady, will you take me to the library after we eat?" he said simply.

"Yes, of course." She said as they turned to leave.

"Doctor." She said as they walked out the door.

The little man had not moved from his deep bow and refused to stand back up until he could hear their steps no longer.

Finally, when he could hear them no more, he straightened up and carefully looked out the door. Shutting it quickly, he went back to his desk and stared at the image within it. A grainy golden shimmer stared back at him from within, curled into a fetal position was a tiny eight legged creature resembling a horse. He sat back and sighed deeply; he pulled out a drawer and took out a cigarette. Lighting it quickly, he blew out the match and tossed it into a silver cup. He stared at the image, watching it move and writhe from the recording he had taken as lord Loki had laid on the table. He watched it carefully as he blew out great puffs of smoke before pushing a button, erasing all trace of the image and information along with it, finally dousing the half smoked cigarette into the cup as well.

After a lunch that consisted of smorbrod for Aliah, which sent Loki into a fit at the smell, making her return it all and settle for crackers and water, which seemed to settle Loki down thankfully, they headed to the library.

Loki walked slower than usual, he was quite tired and still a little nauseous, but when they finally arrived at the stacks the smell of the books seemed to settle him. Aliah walked them over to a small table that had a very comfortable leather bound chair off to one side and sat him down in it.

"You rest here; I'll go grab some things and return." She said as she forced him to sit.

"You know, I am alright, I'm not made of glass." He said behind a grin.

"Shut up, you love the attention." She said, grinning back.

Loki just smirked and nodded, settling into the great chair as he did.

He did actually enjoy the attention. Now that he thought about it, his ankles were rather swollen and it felt good to relax and watch her run around grabbing books across the room, her attention drawn to the spines as she read each one choosing which to go into her arms or not.

Aliah glanced at the books on the shelves, barely registering what they said. Pulling out book after book and inspecting them, she carefully chose some of the best manuals on Aesir anatomy and child bearing advice. Each book she looked at she read in her mind, followed quickly by a, 'fuck my life,' after each one.

'Oh my lords,' she said quietly, making sure to keep her eyes on the books, 'what the fuck am I going to do about this?' She knew it had been a possibility that such a thing could happen, but she had never even considered that it actually would. It was all just…impossible.

'Nine to twelve months…oh fuck my life….what to expect when you're expecting...fine….lords…..what are we going to do with it when it arrives anyway? 'The way of the mother'...fine I'll take that too…..gods dammit….' She thought.

She had acquired a large stack of books and started to walk back over to Loki. Placing the books before him she smiled as he reached out and started reading the spines. She thought again and turned around walking to another section of the library.

She came to the animal husbandry section and picked the first book on horse physiology she found. Wincing slightly, she took it and walked back to Loki.

She returned to find Loki staring at a book with a look of quiet terror on his face.

"Oh gods my lady…" Loki said between gritted teeth, "I take it all back." He said as he turned the book her way showing the page to her.

Aliah nearly jumped out of her skin, as a woman she knew what it was all about, but she had never considered it. She simply had not had the time; she took precautions to make sure a pregnancy never occurred before. The cost was simply something she had no time for and so she had put it out of her mind. Now however, it was not her but rather him that would be accomplishing the task and while it relieved her to know that such an ordeal was not in her near future, she still winced at the prospect of such a thing coming out at some point, from him.

'Oh dear, now…umm...I'm sure it will be fine. Don't worry, perhaps when your time comes you should just uh….change into a horse my dear, that will make it so much easier don't you think?" Aliah said.

"Yes, oh yes that does sound better, still…oh gods Aliah it has to come out at some point." Loki said queasily.

"Yes well, let's not worry, it will be just fine and it will be over soon. You'll do fine." Aliah reassured him.

Loki was not convinced, but there was nothing else for it. Thankfully it was a long way off and he put it out of his mind, focusing on the idea of the wonderful little life inside of him, no matter what shape it would be, it was his child.

They sat there the rest of the afternoon, reading all they could and talking amongst themselves about what was to come. Loki smirked as he saw the book on animal husbandry and just grinned at Aliah when he saw it. Aliah shrugged and flashed him a wink that made them both chuckle at their predicament.

Aliah and Loki walked back into the bedchambers. They had returned from dinner tired from the day's revelations. She had been forced to sit far down the table leaving Loki to himself and his crackers and soup, the only thing he could bring himself to eat honestly and the smell of her roast venison was unbearable. Being ravenous, she couldn't bear another meal of crackers again and so had been forced to sit far away.

Now she walked in and went straight for the bath, flipping the handle she drew a hot bath for Loki. She looked through a few vials of oils and lotions and dripped a few drops of soothing lavender oil into the water for him. Smiling at the pleasant light scent she walked out and found him staring out at the land from the balcony. She smiled as she watched him standing there, an uncertain look on his face.

Loki wondered at the future, this child, his parents, all of it swirled through his head threatening to overtake him.

Aliah came up behind and wrapped her arms around him in a reassuring embrace. She kissed his neck and gently rocked him side to side.

'What will happen to it?" Loki said simply.

"Don't worry my prince; we will make sure this little miracle will be well taken care of. Whatever happens, it will be alright." She reassured him.

Loki nodded and turned his gaze to the floor, not entirely believing her words.

"If my father knew…he would be so angry." He started.

"But he won't, and besides, if this child is to resemble…ermm….well." and suddenly Aliah had a thought. "Would not your father welcome such a magnificent steed?" Aliah said to him.

"What do you mean?" Loki said.

Aliah turned Loki around to face her and looked deep into his eyes

"Don't worry; think of it, this child will be magnificent! If the child is to be a marvelous steed, then we could make a magnificent gift to your father! It would have the best care, the best food, and would be close to you when you return home! He need never know it was his grandchild! You would be close to it and surely it would impress him! Such a magnificent gift would surely make your father happy finally wouldn't it?" Aliah said with a wide smile.

"Oh my gods yes! Yes, what a wonderful idea! We could still be close and father would surely be proud of a gift such has that! Oh thank you Aliah, my lady! Thank you!" Loki said as he hugged her in gratitude.

"See, it will work out, just as I said! Don't worry now alright?" Aliah said quietly.

She wasn't sure if anything would impress Odin, or bring any sort of gratitude to him towards his adopted son, but she couldn't say anything to Loki, she never would. Still, perhaps if it would make Loki happy for a little while to think such things it wouldn't hurt. At least Loki could be close to the child he would birth once he returned.

Aliah suddenly thought about Angrboda now and resolved to check up on that tomorrow, for now, she smiled at Loki and led him over to the bed. She kissed him gently and untied his shirt, letting it fall to the floor between them.

Loki smirked at her and watched as she gently untied all his clothes, removing them one after the other until he stood magnificent and naked before her. She knelt down and kissed his stomach, placing her cheek upon his abdomen she hugged him gently before looking up at his eyes. Loki smiled and blushed back at her before standing up; she led him to the bath she had drawn.

Setting him into the bath she smiled as he relaxed and settled into the hot water. She got up and walked out, letting him enjoy his bath alone. She walked over and rang the cord for the servant and waited on the balcony for her to arrive.

The door opened finally and the lady appeared, bowing slightly before her. Aliah said a few words to her before she bowed again and retreated. Aliah turned her gaze back to the land laid out before her. The moons were wide and lit up the night sky, a swirl of galaxies and stars danced in the night sky overhead.

Loki finally returned, a towel wrapped round his hips before letting it fall to the floor as he crawled into bed beside Aliah.

"How are you feeling now?" she asked.

"Much better, that was just what I needed." Loki answered with a contend look.

"Well, how about some of this?" Aliah said reaching over to a tray placed upon a stand beside her. She took a small silver dish containing a long thin spoon and handed it over to Loki.

"What is this?" Loki said as he sniffed it carefully. The smell did not repulse him thankfully, and he looked at the contents, it looked like clouds frozen in place before him in the little bowl.

"Iced cream." Aliah said to him, "I thought you might be able to handle some, it's from Midgard." She added.

Loki smirked and looked unimpressed but he took a bite anyway and immediately smiled.

"Oh my gods," Loki said as he quickly shoved another bite in his mouth.

"Yeah, I thought you would enjoy that." Aliah giggled.

"I must have more of this, this is magnificent." He said.

"You may have as much as you want my dear." Aliah said between smirks.

"Oh good," Loki said as he finished the dessert and set aside the dish. He quickly turned over and scooted close to Aliah. He slid himself quickly on top of her and stopped a quick protest with a deep kiss. He let his weight bear down on her, holding her in place, he chuckled slightly as he held her there, his lips insistent, his tongue, hot and greedy for hers.

Finally he tore away from her mouth and trailed his tongue down her cheek onto her neck, licking and sucking her flesh gently as he moved.

"Are you sure?" Aliah asked, panting from his heat.

"Oh I'm quite sure. You said I could have more…and I want more now." he grinned.

Aliah had no time to even consider for even then, Loki slid his knee between her legs and forced them open. He ground his hard manhood against her slit and grinned wildly as the feel of it against her brought a deep hiss from her throat.

"Will you help me rock the child to sleep?" he whispered to her gently, his words bringing a low moan to her lips.

He drank in her moans, letting them feed his desire. He had been so aroused by her attention all day and he could no longer contain it. He tried to go slowly, but perhaps it was the hormones coursing through his veins, perhaps it was all the attention she lavished on him, but he simply could not go slowly, he plunged ahead, his weeping cock burying itself deep inside her. Over and over he plunged, unable to stop. He was incapable of slowing down, his desire burned hot and deep within him. He vaguely heard the sounds coming out of both of their mouths, mumblings of curses and deeply sinful longings called into being amid moans and gasps. He heard his own mouth, calling her name, followed by vague affirmations of their connection.

"Oh fuck yes….gods...so good…Aliah." Loki called.

Aliah's mind exploded at his insistence. He was so demanding, he refused to be put off, his need so great she let him take her deep and hard, unable to even think about anything besides calling out for more from him.

"Yes…Loki…oh fuck….don't stop." She called.

Their release came quickly, Loki in his inability to slow down brought them to the edge and quickly pushed them both over, each of them panting and rutting into the other.

He finally felt his spasms slow and slowed his hips, a wave of satisfaction washing over them both as he eased up. He panted and chuckled as he laid his head upon her breast, breathing deeply of her scent and sweat.

"Oh my gods Loki," Aliah called, "this is going to be a fun ride if this will happen more often."

"Ehehehe," Loki chuckled, "indeed." He finally managed to say between his wide smile.


	26. Chapter 26

Aliah woke up and rolled over in bed. She stretched out an arm and found Loki not beside her. She opened her eyes and looked over, expecting to see him but he was not to be seen. That's when she heard it, the distinctive sound of someone retching in the bathroom.

'Oh great.' She said to herself quietly. She sighed heavily and threw an arm over her eyes to try and hide the reality of her life just then but it wasn't working.

The sounds of retching continued from the bathroom and, seeing as how there was nothing to be done, she decided to get up.

She rolled over and hopped out of bed, throwing a light robe over her and padded softly to the bathroom.

Loki was kneeling before the porcelain god, his head resting on the seat. He heaved into it and his whole body shook violently, sweat running down his back and shoulders.

Aliah looked at him for a second, desperately forcing herself forward to offer him some support but the entire scene was repulsive. Still she was thankful to Ymir himself it wasn't her and so she quietly walked up behind him and knelt down. Reaching out she wrapped her arms around his back and shoulders, she slid her hands through his hair making sure the loose ends were out of his face.

Loki heaved again, unable to bring anything up since he hadn't actually eaten much of anything yesterday, still the reflex overtook him.

"This is intolerable." He said between bouts.

"I know dear, I'm so sorry, just let it out, you'll feel better soon." Aliah reassured him.

"Is it going to be like this the entire time?" Loki spat.

"No no, this phase will be over soon, don't worry." Aliah called.

"Gods I hope so. Ugh this is awful, thank you but let me be please. I don't want you to see me like this." He said.

Aliah squeezed him gently and started to get up to leave, but Loki curled a hand around her arm suddenly and held her back.

"No, don't go please." He said quietly.

Aliah just chuckled and held his hair back as he retched again, sweat pouring off of his neck.

Loki finally nodded to Aliah and mumbled a weak 'ok, (panting) ok I'm fine now..." and Aliah helped him to stand. She walked him back to the main room and sat him down before the small table on the balcony. "Here you go, some fresh air may help. Just relax, I'll have some...erm…crackers and stuff sent up….perhaps some tea?" she said to him.

"Yes, that's fine." Loki answered weakly, slumping down into the chair.

Aliah walked over and pulled the cord quickly before walking back to Loki, seating herself in the chair beside him.

"Maybe you should just relax today. I'll have your books sent up here and you can take it easy today." She said to him.

"I would be grateful my lady, thank you." Loki said sheepishly.

"This will pass soon; you'll be ravenous before you know it." She said.

"I can't wait." Loki said to the view before him.

After a light breakfast of tea and crackers for Loki, which thankfully did make him feel a bit better, Aliah helped him back to bed. She grabbed all the pillows and shoved them behind him, propping him up in a comfortable sitting position and kissed his forehead.

"Just relax dear, do some reading, nap when you want. Here take your supplements, they will help." She said as she handed the bottle over to him. She poured a glass of water and sat it beside him on the end table within reach. "I'll come back up for lunch, sound good?" she said.

"Delightful." Loki answered with a weak smile.

Aliah grinned towards him and turned to leave; Loki reached out and grasped her hand, holding her back.

"Aliah…..thank you." Loki said.

Aliah chuckled and nodded to him before turning around to leave. She thought twice and quickly turned again kneeling before him, kissing him on the lips gently and winking at him before rising and walking out.

Aliah walked into her office and rang the bell. She gathered up all the books on the table where Loki sat and sat them in a great pile.

The servant walked in and bowed.

"Yes good morning. Please take all these books and deliver them to lord Loki up in my bedchambers. Also, please make sure he has fresh tea and crackers. I would like some as well. Thank you." She said quickly.

The servant nodded and gathered up all the books and bowed as he walked out.

Aliah looked at the empty desk once the servant had left and stared at it for the longest time before walking out the door and down the hall.

Walking out into the stable yard she watched as the hands there brushed and tended the horses. Some horses were let out into the exercise yard while others were walked over to the tack room, hooves were trimmed, tails braided, and baths were given. The smell was sweet and fresh, alfalfa and oats were scooped into feeding boxes, a machine of efficiency hummed all around her.

She walked over and found Ulfr finally, tending her usual riding horse. He turned and nodded to her, a small smile coming to his face.

"Good morning my lady." He said.

"Morning Ulfr, so how goes our little wolf? I've been meaning to ask you for an update." She spoke.

"As of yesterday, I received word that she is pregnant and extremely unhappy at her captors." He said.

"Yes…very good. Very good news, well then in a few months I suppose." She said quietly.

"Yes my lady, with any luck." He said.

"Good, keep me informed of her progress." Aliah responded. "also, Ulfr, I need you to find a horse, newly pregnant. I will be needing it to have its colt taken from it at birth and given to another, so that we can give it a substitute colt." she added.

Ulfr raised an eyebrow but finally nodded his head.

"Shouldn't be a problem, we have a few now, they should give birth within the year. we can easily introduce a new colt when they deliver." he said.

"ah, very good. thank you Ulfr. keep me up to date on these matters thanks." she said

"Aye my lady." Ulfr said as he went back to brushing the horse.

Aliah walked back into her offices and sat down. She could not tear away her thoughts from Angrboda. The great wolf was pregnant now; the thought of what monster she would birth soon was all she could think of. What was it going to be? Would it look like him? A wolf? Something else entirely? And what of it after it was born. It would have to be kept locked up, deep in a hold somewhere, awaiting the day it could be used against Odin. Would it truly begin the end of days?

The questions swirled around in her head, a sea of churning uncertainty pivoting around her, as the eye of a storm. She thought now about Loki up in the bedchamber. She sighed quietly, a slight sadness at her use of him for her purpose of producing the monster. But she tried to put it out of her mind. Odin and his brother had to pay, and in the end, this was where it would all come to a head. Loki had been a catalyst for the events and seeing the opportunity for the house of Odin to be punished, she had taken it. She did not regret it, and still, she found herself disliking the deceit she had perpetrated upon Loki.

And now with the baby…well, he would know one of his children at least. The thought was a slight comfort to her. He would know that, if nothing else and for a time he would be able to enjoy it, after the morning sickness wore off of course. Still, the thought gnawed at her, and she inspected it fully.

'He has changed me.' She finally thought. She had not expected it honestly, had not dreamed of a student like him ever having an effect on her. None of the others had certainly, but they had all been rich, snotty, smug children of nobles. None of them had ever had a whiff of self-inspection or care for anything besides money or power or fun within them. But Loki, he was so different from them all.

He knew pain, he knew heartache, he knew what it was like to be on the outside, he understood. He was not arrogant; he was rather damaged, much like herself.

'He needs to be stronger.' She finally thought. 'He must become strong if this is all to come about.'

She thought about the future now, sometime down the road when he would have to return. It was coming, she could not put it off, she could postpone it certainly, keep him an extra year if she pleased, maybe two. It didn't matter, one day; he would go back, what then?

His studies were going well; in fact he progressed much faster than anyone else. He was highly intelligent, well read, and adept at learning magic as quick as it was taught him, even though he was incapable of doing more than defense and illusions. Still a few other tricks were being taught to him, and he learned well. He was adept now at knife and blades, and he was strong.

'He simply must be stronger if this is going to work.' She thought. She searched within herself for a way to bring about the justice she sought, not upon Loki, but Odin and villi. Anything to bring about their downfall, and she realized suddenly, the answer was so easy. It had been before her all along.

Thor, the idiot child, so loved by his father, pushing aside Loki at every turn. Loki had a deep love and hatred for the brother who tortured him all his years. Thor, the darling child of Odin who could do no wrong. Resentment was already deeply entrenched within Loki for him; it would be so very easy…to cultivate it.

Odin wasn't getting any younger, how long had he been on the throne? 3,000 years now? His time was coming, there was no way he would give the throne to Loki, and she knew that, even if he didn't. He would pass it to Thor, and send Loki to the wastes of Jotunheim, an ambassador spy for Odin, but it would destroy him, she knew it deep inside.

What was needed was to cultivate as much hate for Thor and Odin within Loki's heart as she possibly could, only then could she persuade Loki to ….she could not finish, she had no idea. She needed a plan, and a good one, it would come. She would think on it later, something would turn up, there was still time.

For now, she thought of the child growing within him. 'Humph,' she huffed. 'A child, what a nice little family we shall have for a bit.' She thought.

She found herself in the position of an expectant father now. It was…odd. So very odd. She imagined doting over Loki through his weakness in the mornings now, imagined feeding him soup and crackers for an interminable amount of time. And then she saw great mountains of ice-cream and fermented vegetables piled high beside the bed as his belly grew and extended.

'Ugh,' she thought, and tried to put that idea out of her head.

She got up and poured a cup of tea and absently took a cracker and munched on it. 'This isn't bad actually.' She thought as she looked at it in her hand.

She stopped and stared at it. 'What the fuck has happened to me?' she thought quietly.

The door opened behind her and Bjorn walked in bowing slightly.

"My lady, about the people's court in a weeks' time…" he started

"Yes yes already, just arrange it. I'll be ready." She called quickly waving him away.

"As you wish." He answered and stepped out as quickly as he had arrived.

She couldn't think of anything else right now, her thoughts were consumed by Loki and the baby and the future and she found her head swimming. It was all too much, too much to conceive.

She put down the tea and turned towards the door, headed for the back patio and decided fresh air was what she needed.

******************************************************************************************************************

 

Aliah sat on a chair on the back patio, staring off into the distance, somewhere beyond the large hedge row and out into the distance. She propped her legs up on the railing and sat, her hand up to her mouth in quiet contemplation.

She considered the months ahead, Loki was sure to be moody and consumed by his hormones. She thought about how he was soon to start expanding, needing the services of Celiedh again soon. She resolved to drop in on her soon to request some alterations.

'I can't believe I'm even considering these things.' She found herself thinking. 'What the hell am I now anyway? A father? Oh gods, I'm some sort of weird father to be now…' she found herself biting her thumb nail and quickly took it out of her mouth.

'Am I actually worried about this? About him? This is all so wrong…I shouldn't even be dealing with this shit…I don't have time for this.'

She let her thoughts wander to how Loki might feel. Surely he had not expected this as well, how odd it must be for him, alone, eventually to be locked into the bedchambers because of his growing size, loose shirts could only hide so much for so long…

And then she thought of him, ill and tired, all alone even now in the bedchambers.

The thought of him felt so normal now, so comforting. It was an odd feeling; she knew deep in her heart that he had changed her now as no one else ever had. And in a way, she comforted herself with the knowledge that she didn't feel as angry inside anymore. Somehow, he had calmed her soul, and she resolved herself to no longer fight it. There was still time, time to enjoy the tender moments to come, time enough soon to steel herself for the lessons she would pour into his soul.

He would learn to be a better liar, a better planner, and she knew he would excel at the lessons of deception she could teach him. In the end, they would serve him well, and in serving him, he would serve her.

'Yes, my dear,' she thought, 'I will make our thoughts as one. Eventually, our goals will merge, whether you know it or not.'

She turned in her chair and thought of the coming months. Months of cravings and moodiness that she knew was coming. She thought of this now as an opportunity. An opportunity to experience a side of life that until now had been denied her. Perhaps this was her only chance to experience such things?

'I need to just accept this, perhaps a little bit of tenderness won't hurt after all. The repayment of it can only multiply back to me in the end anyway. That's not so bad, if I was in his shoes…'

She stopped and thought a moment, looking down at the ground now. She sighed wearily and resolved herself to her thoughts, and rising quickly walked back inside.

************************************************************************************************************

 

Aliah stood before the door the bedchamber. It was just before lunchtime and she had stopped a servant on her way up, informing them of her desire to be served here today. She looked down at the great bouquet of flowers in her hand and felt infinitely stupid. 'This is insane.' She heard a voice in her head call out. She looked up at the door again and made to open it, but found her hand would not move. She was glued to the spot by some invisible force which made her feel even more stupid.

'Gods dammit, get your shit together.' She thought. She cursed herself, feeling like some stupid schoolboy on a first date, which was absolutely insane of course. All the things she had done, all the things she would do, and here she was, scared to death to bring such a blatant present to him. Him, of all people, the gods damned prince of Asgard.

She lowered the flowers and knelt her forehead against the door, sighing as she leaned there, the cool metal and wood pressing against her.

Suddenly the door opened and she found herself almost falling forward before she caught herself.

Loki stood there, looking at her, his hand still on the handle with a look of quiet amazement on his face. She panicked, she felt a hot blush rise up onto her face and overtake her, and she had no way to hide it. 'Fuck' she heard a voice from somewhere in her mind.

"Ummm, hello." She managed finally.

Loki looked down and saw the flowers she held in her hands at her side, almost hidden now and grinned slightly.

"Hello, are those…?" he said softly.

"Oh, umm…yes…" she said as she remembered them in her hands now. She brought her arm up and looked at them now, quickly she felt the blush deepen and cursing her damned face, she looked at a point somewhere past Loki at the floor and held them up slightly, a wave of nausea passing over her as she added, "I uh….thought, you know…"

"They are beautiful, thank you my lady." Loki said quietly taking them from her hand.

Loki smelled them, a smile of genuine love came to his face and he looked at her. She was blushing still, refusing to look at him.

'How sweet she is sometimes. It pains her so, this all must be so odd for her.' he thought.

"Their beauty pales in comparison to you my lady." Loki finally said.

Aliah looked at him now, their eyes meeting the others and they stood there, like idiots in the doorway, smiles slowly creeping onto their faces. They finally giggled at themselves. They suddenly realized how stupid they must look and she finally stepped inside and closed the door behind her.

"Well, ah, yes thank you. I hope you like them." She said finally.

"Of course I do. They are from you after all." Loki said carefully.

Loki turned and grabbed a vase from a shelf and placed the flowers inside. He sat the vase on the table before the balcony and took in their delicate scent. He smiled to himself and turned to look at Aliah. She was standing with one hand on her hip, a quiet look of contemplation as if she was a mile away upon her face. 'She is so beautiful.' He found himself thinking.

Loki walked over to Aliah and knelt down in front of her, reaching out he wrapped his arms around her hips and hugged her, his face buried into her abdomen. He said nothing as Aliah looked out the window of the balcony and simply wrapped her hands around his head, burying one hand in his hair stroking his long locks back across his head gently. They said nothing, quietly enjoying the moment, not sure what to do with the other. Loki pressed himself closer to Aliah, feeling her warmth and listening to her breathe.

He knew she was conflicted, he felt her confusion and turmoil inside. He understood, he felt it too, he knew she was filled with a storm of emotions. Her past, her need for lashing out to calm the demons in her soul, he felt those too, they were his constant companions, but being with her, here and now, he felt so at peace. He knew at some point, it would end, he would have to go back there. He was a prince of Asgard; he had duties that would call him back. He put it out of his mind; he refused to think that far, he never wanted to leave this place, or her.

He thought about how he desperately needed her, but it was not allowed, he would never be able to stay with her forever. Not unless he could change the rules and only one person could ever change the rules….Loki stopped, and in that moment, he knew that he would not stop until he could change the rules.

'I will not be parted from her, I swear it…I will make it happen…I swear it Aliah.' He thought

Loki got up and looked deep into Aliah's eyes, searching within them. He stayed there, drinking in the color of them, feeling her breathing in his embrace. He turned his head down slightly and looked at her lips. He slowly brought his hand up and cupped her cheek, his mouth falling open slightly, and closed the gap between them. He bent down slowly and kissed her, softly, deeply, passionately…pulling her closer to him with his other arm. He pressed his lips deeper into her, gently sucking her bottom lip into his mouth, tasting her essence and drawing her soul into his.

They turned and rubbed noses as they deepened their kiss, Loki could not bring himself to tear away from her. He knew in that moment, he loved her; he could not keep himself from ever loving her, no matter what.

He tore himself away slightly and rubbed their noses together…he felt a fear rise in him, but he pushed it away quickly.

"Aliah…I love you." He said quietly. He refused to let her respond and he quickly kissed her deeply again.

They finally pulled away slightly and stared at one another, each searching the others eyes for any hint of response to his declaration.

Aliah finally spoke up, a halting sound came out of her mouth, Loki knew she fought with the demons in her mind, and he waited to see which side would win out.

"You know I….I do too." She finally managed.

It was all he needed; Loki embraced her in his arms, drawing her head to rest upon his chest. They smiled to each other, knowing the other couldn't see them smiling, but they both knew. They understood. They hugged each other tightly, refusing to release the other for some time.

The door behind them finally opened and the servant lady stopped. She stood in the doorway and tried to back away slowly, but they finally saw her and giggled to each other, finally releasing each other from their warm embrace. Aliah smirked at Loki and waved the servant in.

"It's fine now, thank you." Aliah called.

The servant lady bowed slightly and sat the tray down on the table. She bowed quickly and left.

Aliah shook her head slightly and grinned. She grabbed a bowl and opened a steaming tureen of vegetable soup. Carefully, she ladled out a bowl and placed it before Loki. She took another bowl and ladled out a portion for herself, returning to the other side of the table she sat down and crumbled a few crackers into the bowl before digging in.

"Are you feeling better?" Aliah asked absentmindedly to the bowl of soup.

"Yes, very much thank you." Loki answered.

"Good." Aliah said simply. They ate their lunch quietly, their brains slowly churning over his words to her. She decided not to speak about it just yet. They glanced at each other occasionally, lowering their gaze at any hint the other would look up. They smirked quietly to themselves, each lost in their own thoughts that were exactly the same as the others'.

Later that night, Aliah lie in bed as Loki finished up in the bathroom. The light flickered off finally and he crept into bed, exhausted from the day. He snuggled over to Aliah and rested his head on her shoulder. Aliah absentmindedly wrapped an arm around him as she read some papers.

"Thank you again for the flowers." He said quietly. "It was very thoughtful of you."

"You're welcome." Aliah said not averting her gaze from her reading.

Loki squeezed her tighter and she finally looked down at him in her arm. His thin, lean form was easily visible through the thin silk sheet that hugged him. She smiled to herself, enjoying his body and she finally moved to put the papers aside.

"I found this today and thought it would help." She said as she waved a hand making a book appear in her grasp.

Loki looked up and smiled as he took the book from her hand.

"A compendium of baby names…my lady, you are kind, thank you." Loki beamed.

"It's really nothing, I just thought…." But Loki cut her off, crashing his lips onto hers stopping all her words.

He pulled away quickly and smiled at her, leaning his head back down into her shoulder.

Aliah just smiled and let her arm wrap around him again as he settled down next to her to inspect the book.

She shook her head slightly but the smile remained upon her face. They lay there together a while longer, quietly enjoying the closeness of the other and the happy feeling that permeated the room at the moment.


	27. Chapter 27

The weeks went by and Loki thankfully no longer had morning sickness. He now, however, was fully entrenched in the grip of violent mood swings and ravenous cravings.

"Do we have any pickles?" Loki said one day from behind Aliah.

"I'm sorry, what?" Aliah replied, looking up from some paperwork at her desk.

"Pickles…do we have any? I can't stand it I must have some." Loki said rising out of his chair.

"I'm going to the kitchens, I'll be back soon." He said and ran off.

As the door closed behind him Aliah threw down the papers in her hands and rubbed her temples instead.

"Oh gods," she said quietly. "What is becoming of my life?"

The headache was coming back again and there was nothing for it but to sit and rub her head. She tried to think of something else, anything else. It wasn't the fact he was craving odd things, rather than he was craving things, at all hours. He would get up in the middle of the night and demand muesli, and milk, anything to fill his enormous appetite which was growing daily. That wasn't really the worst, what really bugged Aliah were his mood swings. They were worse if he was hungry and she made a note to make sure there was food around them at all times now, but she never knew what he would crave next. Last week Loki had demanded nothing but strawberries and cream, this week it happened to be pickles.

'It's maddening.' She thought quietly. If he couldn't get what he needed he slowly slipped into a crying fit, followed by such a depression that he only cried harder. It took hours to calm him down after which Aliah desperately tried to hide or make up some excuse to do more work.

'It's just a phase' she kept thinking, 'this will be over soon…gods I hope.'

The door opened quietly and she quickly lowered her hands back to the table as Loki walked in, a large dill pickle in his hand.

Loki had seen her rubbing her head, he knew how hard it had been for her these past weeks. He truly didn't mean to be so annoying, but he knew he had been.

'I can't do this to her. I need to make it up to her somehow, gods I am intolerable sometimes. There must be something I can do.' He thought.

Loki had a flash of inspiration and he smirked to himself. He looked at Aliah and smiled slightly, he saw her headache and he resolved to make it all up to her later tonight.

Loki walked over and pulled her chair away from the desk, forcing her to wheel around and face him as he kneeled before her at the side of her desk.

"My lady," Loki started, he kneeled before her and placed his head in her lap. "I am so very sorry for my actions lately, I truly do not mean to be of any annoyance to you. Forgive me my lady."

Aliah looked down at his head in her lap and rolled her eyes. His actions were sweet she had to admit, and at least he was aware of how annoying he had been. It was what she needed finally, and she smiled a weak smile, running a hand through his hair. She noticed now it was growing so very long, it looked good on him, but she decided a haircut was what he needed.

"It's fine my dear. We will get through this, thank you for your words, they mean a lot." Aliah answered quietly. She bent down and kissed his cheek giving him a quick wink.

Loki stood up slowly and Aliah noticed he had more difficulty with moving now. She watched him walk back to his desk and saw how very uncomfortable his pants looked.

'Time to let some things out there my dear.' She thought.

Aliah rang the bell for the servant and waited for him to enter.

The door quickly opened and the servant stepped through and bowed.

"Ah yes, I need Celeidh sent for please. Also, send for my barber for Lord Loki." She said as she saw Loki's head whip around, a quick grimace came across his face and she smiled weakly at him, shrugging her shoulders. Loki eased his face and went back to his books before Aliah turned back to the servant adding, "Also, I would like you to prepare the spa for Lord Loki, give him a full afternoon today please. Manicures and massages, everything he may need. Also, make sure you have enough pickles on hand." Aliah said.

Loki had been listening to her words and now hopped out of the chair and flung his arms around her from behind.

"Ahhhh you do care! I knew it see!" Loki squeeed into her ear nearly deafening her.

"Ahhhh, yes yes…enough of that now. After your haircut you may go relax as you see fit. I thought you would enjoy a day of relaxation and pampering my dear." She said trying to wiggle the hearing back into her ear.

"Oh no, I'm not going alone, you're coming too!" Loki called.

"No, no…..it's ok….really, I need to look over these tax records and reports from Vambridge…." But she was cut off as Loki chuckled mischievously and bent down, forcing his mouth upon hers in an insistent kiss.

"No, you're coming with me." He insisted.

"Now look here..." she started as he flipped her chair around and fell into her lap, almost forcing the wind out of her with his weight, legs draped lazily over one arm. He placed a hand on her cheek, not willing to take no for an answer, he kissed her more and deeper.

Behind them the servant bowed and backed out slowly, off to arrange the last orders he received.

"You're coming with me." Loki said with an evil grin just an inch from Aliah's lips.

"I….ok fine, I'm coming with you. You're going to be the death of me you know." Aliah said quietly to him.

"You can't resist me, admit it." Loki said with a grin.

Aliah smirked at him and put a hand on his belly, stroking the bulge that protruded from his too tight pants.

"And how are we today in there? Are you surviving alright with this insistent mother of yours?" Aliah purred.

"Oh yes," Loki called back almost glowing. "In fact, I need to run to the bathroom before this haircut you demand." He said.

"Please, do not let me keep you in that endeavor." Aliah answered as he jumped up and walked out the door.

Aliah shook her head and smiled to herself. 'Maybe this isn't all that bad after all.' She thought.

"You approve my lord?" the barber said as he held the mirror before Loki.

"Yes, very much, this is fine, thank you." Loki called as he removed the apron.

The man bowed simply and smiled as he moved to sweep up all the hair now covering the floor.

Loki turned to Aliah and smiled widely now. He walked over and did a little turn for her, to her amusement. "Yes?" Loki called.

Aliah giggled at his prancing before her. "Heheh, yes yes, very nice my dear. Handsome as ever." She called.

"Good," Loki answered with a smile. Grabbing her hand he pulled her from her seat and made for the door.

"Come on now, let's go have a spa day, I desperately need a manicure." He said with a huge smile.

"Aghhhh yes fine…fine, hey slow down!" Aliah called as he drug her out the door and down the hall, giggling at each other all the way.

"Ahhhhhh yessssss." Loki purred as he slid down into the hot mud bath, a servant girl was filing the nails on his one hand, a look of pure contentment on his face.

"I'm glad you like." Aliah answered from beside him.

Quiet music drifted over the room as they relaxed deeper into the muck.

They sat there contentedly as the servant lady finished his hand and finally rose from her knees beside him, bowing as she retreated.

"Thank you my lady, I am terribly sorry that ive been such a pain these few weeks." Loki called.

"No, really, it's all right, I'm sure it must be terribly uncomfortable for you." Aliah said quietly.

Loki smiled and closed his eyes replacing the hot towel over his face.

Suddenly, Loki jolted upwards, "oh my gods…OH MY GODS!" he called.

"WHAT WHAT?! ...OH GODS ARE YOU OK?" Aliah said as her eyes went wide.

She turned over in the mud and faced Loki, placing her hands on him looking scared.

"HERE, PUT YOUR HAND HERE." Loki exclaimed as he took her hand and placed it on his abdomen.

"Do you feel it?" he said, his eyes wide with excitement.

"Oh gods, don't scare me like that." She answered as she felt a slight flutter in his belly.

"It's moving!" Loki called.

Aliah let out a deep sigh of relief as she kneeled beside him, muddy hands and arms feeling his abdomen as he lay in the hot mud.

"Yes…oh gods I feel it…are you ok?" Aliah asked cautiously.

"Oh yes," Loki said in a pleased tone. "Little slephnir is moving! Isn't it wonderful?"

"Slephnir eh?" Aliah said as she smiled back.

"You like it?" Loki said.

"Yes, it's beautiful dear." Aliah answered as she leaned in and kissed his forehead.

Aliah settled back into the mud beside Loki, the panic attack slowly slipping away.

"Don't scare me like that. I thought I was going to have to carry you to the physicians all covered in mud." She said.

"Eheheh." Loki chuckled as he caressed his belly.

After a long, relaxing soak and a pedicure afterwards, Loki and Aliah enjoyed a massage, further obliterating any and all stress and tension from their bodies.

The satisfied look on Loki's face made Aliah feel much better, her headache completely gone for the first time in a week. After a quick shower, they dressed and headed back to her offices.

When they opened the door Celeidh was waiting, a smile on her face as she bowed deeply before them.

"My lady, my lord." She called simply.

"So good to see you again. We are in need of your excellent services again my dear." Aliah called.

"I am at your service of course my lady." Celeidh answered.

"I need you to let our some pants and make a few more for an expanding waistline if you please." Aliah said.

"Ah, congratulations my lady." Celeidh beamed as she looked at Aliah.

"Erm, no uh…"Aliah started, flipping a thumb over towards Loki she continued, "it's for him."

Celeidh caught the wide eyed look that flashed across her face before it became too obvious and bowed quickly.

"No problem, I will have a few pairs ready for my lords comfort delivered tonight, and uuh…a few more pairs with more…erm…substantial stretching capacity in a few days. Anything else my lady?" Celeidh called.

"No thank you." Aliah answered as Celeidh bowed and turned to leave.

"So, I'm huge am I?" she heard Loki say from across the room.

"Now my lord, you know that's not what this is about. You simply don't fit in those pants anymore and I want you to be comfortable." Aliah called carefully. "Besides, it's not healthy for the baby." She said as she walked over to him. She reached out and gently rubbed his belly with her hands. She now noticed how he could no longer tie the pants all the way and, chuckling slightly, untied them a little more, to his small relief. She looked into his eyes and smiled at him, forcing a smile to his face before she would let him look away.

"Okay." Loki finally called back, a hurt look on his face as he looked down at himself.

"You look as handsome as ever my prince." Aliah whispered to him, gently reaching out and kissing his lips as she said it. Loki smiled back and chuckled to her as he rested his forehead against hers.

Dinner time rolled around and Loki demanded they retire to their bedchamber. Once there, Aliah smiled as she saw that Loki had arranged for it to be served there for their comfort.

A large vase sat in the middle of the table full of white gardenias. Aliah smiled widely as she saw them, the same flowers as the one he had given her when they first met.

She grinned to him and winked as she smelled their delicate scent.

"You are such a darling my dear." Aliah called.

Loki walked over and kissed her gently before pulling out her chair for her, a fabulous meal lay waiting for them at the little table.

After a large dinner of svinekoteltter, which Loki almost managed to finish by himself, to the dismay of his pants completely, they retired to comfortable large couch beside the fireplace.

A soft knock on the door made Aliah rise, leaving Loki on the couch to relax, as she greeted Celeidh.

The little tailor bowed slightly and handed aliah a small brown paper package. They bowed to each other as Aliah closed the door behind her, a small "thank you." escaping her lips.

Five pair of pants looked back at Loki from the package as he took them in his hands to inspect them one after the other.

"My gods, am I this huge?" Loki cried as he stretched the pants this way and that, seeing the elastic panel in front stretch.

"What?" Aliah called from beside him at the fireplace, "no, come on, you look amazing, you will get bigger though you know. Try them on; I'm sure you'll feel better." Aliah said.

Loki frowned but slipped off his boots and pants and slid on the elasticized pants and let out a deep sigh of relief.

"Oh…..yes… this is better." He answered.

"See? Now you'll be able to breath and let little slephnir grow big and strong." Aliah chuckled.

Loki sat back down beside her on the large leather couch and admired the roaring fire. He let his bare feet curl into the wolf pelt on the floor, enjoying the soft fur caress his toes. He flipped around and laid his head in her lap, letting his long legs rest on the couch as Aliah sat there, lazily thumbing through a book.

"What are your reading?" Loki asked.

"A book on horse breeding and stud management." Aliah answered.

"What?" Loki asked.

"Yes dear, have to read up on putting you out to pasture soon." Aliah said.

"THAT'S NOT FUNNY!" Loki almost screamed.

"Ahahahha, yes it is my dear." Aliah answered.

"You're not serious!" Loki said in a hurt tone.

"Of course I'm not serious, calm down." Aliah called as she reached out with one hand and pulled his head back down to her lap. Loki was now off balance and could not rise back up with her holding him down.

"That's not fair; don't make fun of me in this condition." Loki pleaded.

Aliah smirked and let the book drop to her side, looking down into his eyes in her lap.

"I would never dream of making fun of you my dear." Aliah said as she reached out and stroked Loki's protruding belly.

Loki looked down at himself and hated the elastic pants he now had to wear, his figure so thin and muscular was now failing him and he worried if he would ever get his shape back. He knew this was just the beginning as well, it was going to get even worse and soon.

Aliah saw his eyes now, troubled and full of worry, his thoughts screamed at him from so close. She distinctly heard his mind calling taunts of, 'you'll be ugly and disfigured for the rest of your life because of this. So fat and ugly, she'll get rid of you soon, no one wants such a fat ugly toad around. Disgusting, you should be ashamed, you brought this on yourself. How long before she tires of you like this?' she heard from within him.

Aliah heard his thoughts and wrinkled her brow in sadness. He still had bouts of anguish and self-doubt, even now and it had ceased to amuse her these past few months.

Aliah slid out from the couch and grabbed Loki, hauling him gently in her arms to lower him to the great wolf pelt beside the fire. She grabbed a pillow from the couch and placed it under his head. She then kicked off her boots and gingerly lay down beside him, wrapping her legs around his. She propped herself up on one elbow and laid one hand on his belly, gently caressing it.

She leaned over and gently kissed his neck, running her tongue down it in spots, gently sucking in others.

"You are so…. very….handsom….my dear." Aliah called gently between kisses.

"Thank you." Loki said quietly, his mind still taunting him.

"You know my prince…I thought that the first day I saw you, and I still think it now." Aliah breathed as she gently kissed up the side of his strong handsome jaw.

"Do you mean it?" Loki called, his eyes closing as he relaxed.

"You know I do….I will always find you so….very….intoxicating….don't ever think I won't be forever under your spells." She said quietly.

Loki turned his head and stared into her eyes, they fell into each other's gaze for the longest time, both examining the others eyes as they tumbled down a deep chasm of emotion for the other.

"Do not toy with me." Loki finally said. "I…I know you do not feel the same Aliah…" Loki said quietly.

Aliah knew what he had been longing to hear, he had confessed his own love for her just a few weeks ago but she had refused to say anything definite back. Somewhere she felt herself torn in two, one half of herself desperately screaming out that she felt the same, the other half consumed with plans and schemes of what she could do with his declaration. She did love him, she knew that now and she also feared what that would bring with it. She let the fear of the future pass away like a fish back into the depths, willing the future to stop its relentless march towards them.

"Loki…I love you….my prince…so very much…don't you see?" Aliah said quietly as she stared into his eyes. She felt a jolt of electricity run though him, his eyes flashing wide as he looked at her.

"Do you mean it, truly?" Loki said quietly.

"You know there's no one else like you." Aliah said. "I have never let anyone in before…can't you see that?" Aliah said almost in a whisper.

Loki pulled her down onto him, crashing her lips onto his and devoured her in a hot kiss.

Loki slid her robe from her shoulders, running his hands over her bare skin. Aliah untied his shirt and flung it open, exposing his chest and trailed a hand down his neck and torso.

"Aliah….I need you….so much." Loki breathed as he pulled her closer.

"I need you too…." She called as she nuzzled him. She sighed gently into his neck and kissed his skin gently as she laid her head against his collarbone.

"I….Loki….I shouldn't….it will only destroy us" she called quietly, "and yet…I can't imagine anything without you anymore."

Loki pulled her head up with his hand and looked into her eyes deeply.

"I swear to you…I will find a way." He said simply.

Aliah nodded and dipped her head back down to him, kissing his lips and running her tongue gently across them. He pulled her down and opened his mouth, kissing her deeply and gently, sucking her tongue into him as they swirled their tongues in a gentle dance within his mouth.

She felt his heat rise as his member responded. She sucked his tongue gently as she slowly broke away, trailing kisses down his neck to his collarbone.

"I will not be parted from you….I will find a way….I will make it happen Aliah, if that is what you want as well." he said quietly.

Aliah stopped, and looked back up to him. Loki stared down at her with a serious look.

"Oh Loki," Aliah called, "if it could be….I would wish for it desperately." She said.

"What you do to me every day…you are such a sweet torture…my dearest one." She called.

"Aliah…..take me my love." Loki breathed.

With a wave, Aliah vanished her clothes and his, leaving them warm and naked beside the fire upon the fur. She cast the spell and felt her member jump to life beneath her.

She gently straddled him, holding her weight above him away from his abdomen. Loki reached up and pulled her down onto him, making her suck in a quick breath.

"It's ok, you won't hurt me." He gently called.

She let her weight press down onto him and felt his belly below her member. She gently ground herself into him, feeling his own member press against her leg.

She slid her knee between his and forced his legs apart, bringing a low moan to Loki's lips. She felt his heat and wetness against her knee and she smiled to him as he grinned back.

"Shall I rock the baby for you my love?" she called.

"Oh gods yes." Loki called, his eyes half closed in lust.

She slid herself down to him, kissing his chest as she went, feeling his nectar ooze onto her hardness. She gently slid into him and had to stop, the feeling overwhelming her as she fought to not cum right then.

"Shhhhh, "Loki called as he grabbed her hips, forcing her to stop. "Not yet."

She closed her eyes and waited for the heat to subside, before nodding to him, her eyes shut tight to him. Loki released his hold and slid his hands around to her ass, gently running his hands over her, inviting her in again.

She gently started again, thrusting herself inside him as he moaned softly above her.

It felt too good, Aliah was spurred on by his soft calls of pleasure and had to stop again.

"Gods…you feel so good." she called to him.

"Oh gods yes... Aliah…..don't stop….I need you so much." Loki called.

She thrust into him, forcing the feeling away. Her moans merging with his as she thrust into him deeply but gently.

"I need you Loki….always." Aliah called to him.

"Gods yes." Loki called. He couldn't take it anymore…he desperately wanted her in every way. He forced her to stop and adjusted his hips, forcing her to her side. He slid down gently and felt her harness press against his, he wanted to be inside her as well, but the spell was cast, it could not be undone in her passion now, not until she had been relieved. He settled for the next best thing and he pushed her back, and straddled her now, forcing himself down onto her hardness and thrust away with abandon. He bucked and bobbed upon her as she grabbed his hips and thrust up into him with all her might. She closed her eyes and laid her head back, giving herself over to his control fully now.

"Ahhhh, Loki….fuck me." She called as her eyes rolled back in her head.

He felt her tumble over the edge and her pulsing cock sent him over with her, both of them moaning and panting in time to her throbs. Loki erupted and screamed in his release, his tunnel milking Aliah hard for every drop as he shot hot cum over them both.

"Aah! Gods!" they sighed together.

Finally spent, he fell to her side, nuzzling his head into her shoulder.

They panted and gasped in the others embrace as they tried to regain their breath. Aliah ran her hands through his hair as she kissed his forehead, holding him in her arms tightly.

"I will never let you go…my lady….my Aliah." Loki called finally.

"My darling prince….I would not be parted .........if I could." Aliah whispered

"I know….ill find a way….ill make it happen my love." Loki answered.

They held each other until they fell asleep beside the fire, warmed from its heat as much as the heat from within their hearts.


	28. Chapter 28

"Good morning my lady." Bjorn said as he closed the door behind him.

Aliah looked up from her desk, papers piled high in stacks before her, and nodded a quick hello to him as he closed the door.

"These just arrived for you today," he said as he handed over a stack of letters and tubes. Most had some official wax seal imprinted upon them.

Aliah took them all and inspected them closely.

Behind her, Loki looked up casually from his book with a pained look on his face. His ankles were terribly swollen, his stomach ached and he could barely catch his breath. On top of all this, the weight of the baby was pushing down on his bladder and he had to piss again for the five-hundredth time that morning.

"Anything good Bjorn?" Aliah asked.

Bjorn just shrugged, it was his job to know what was going on but when it came to mail, he would have to wait for Aliah to inform him of what they contained.

"Let's see, wedding invitation….lord Boe and lady Ljufu…" she said absentmindedly. Lord Boe had been a student of hers at least five years ago, he was another petty boy who she had the pleasure of performing a complete mind-wipe on due to his lack of any manners whatsoever. Now he was a faithful lord of his kingdom and supporter of many of her pet projects. She mumbled a quick "what a foob..." and threw the letter aside, quickly picking up another.

"Hmmmm, masked ball….palace of Freyford…lord Eirik invites you to..." she trailed off.

She glanced behind her to see Loki, a pained look on his face. He had kicked off his boots and looked quite miserable, his belly protruding onto his lap in an obvious fashion.

"Yeah…I don't think so…" she mumbled, picking up another.

"You may have already won….NO FUCK THAT." She threw the letter immediately into the trash and pulled out another.

Aliah sighed and noticed Bjorn still standing over her.

"Was there something else?" she asked wearily.

"Erm, no not really, good day my lady." Bjorn said as he backed away slowly out the door.

Aliah sighed and leaned back in her chair. She was tired, Loki didn't sleep well anymore and that meant she didn't sleep well either. His belly had gotten simply too big to sleep comfortably anymore, no matter how much he twisted himself into some new position. It didn't really matter anyway because he was up every fifteen minutes to head to the bathroom.

She leaned her head back and closed her eyes for just a second, taking any bit of rest she could grab and heard a pained sigh from behind her. She turned around to look at Loki, he was fidgeting in his chair, obviously uncomfortable no matter what he did and he looked miserable.

Finally he stood up and wobbled his way slowly to the door. "Ahh nature." He called, making for the bathroom again.

Aliah watched the door close and looked back at his now empty desk. She noticed then how his boots were shoved underneath it unceremoniously and felt a pity rise within her.

She sighed and turned around in her chair staring at the large wood desk and chair before her now.

"Yeah, we can do better here." She finally said quietly.

She cursed herself that she hadn't done anything about it yet. She decided to take the opportunity to at least do a little something for him now.

She waved her hands and the chair disappeared, another wave and in its place sat a large comfortable recliner covered in black leather.

"Ah yes, that's got to feel better." She said quietly. She got up and pulled the large padded chair alongside the desk so that it could extend its footrest out, no longer forcing Loki to sit up straight to read.

She thought quietly and waved her hand again, a green crystal vase appeared on the desk before her. She looked out the window and searching around, spied some beautiful gladiolas growing behind the offices. A wave of her hand was all it took to summon them from their spot in the garden and rush into her hand. She smiled as she grasped them and placed them into the vase.

She surveyed her work and grinned slightly.

"Oh what the helheim." She said quietly and waved her hand again, a large box of expensive chocolate bon-bons appeared in her hands and she sat it down at the edge of the table, easily within reach of the recliner. She smiled and sat back down in her chair, swiveling it back into its original position.

She picked up the mass of letters and looked them over again, inspecting each one in turn.

She came to a small note from Ulfr. She ripped it open and read what it said.

-Angrboda has given birth. Two pups, one wolf cub, one large serpent. All in good health.—

'The fuck?' Aliah thought.

Two offspring, both destined to be monsters. The wolf pup she had expected….the other…nothing had been said in the prophecies about this one…she resolved herself to go speak with master Bram about this development as soon as possible. She waved her hand and the letter disappeared.

The door opened again and Loki slowly waddled back in. she glanced up only briefly and smiled slightly to herself.

Loki stopped and looked behind her, a small grin coming to his face.

"Eheheh," he chuckled quietly. "You shouldn't have." He said.

Aliah didn't look up, keeping her eyes on the letters as she scanned the addresses she grinned only slightly.

"I don't know what you mean." She said calmly.

Loki smirked and walked over to the large chair, he ran a hand down it enjoying the fine leather and turned to look at the other offerings she had left for him.

Loki grabbed the back of her chair and spun her around to face him, wrapping his arms around Aliah's head and embraced her in a hug. unfortunately all Aliah saw was Loki's belly being shoved in her face as she was pressed firmly up against it, her nose resting on his now firmly 'outie' belly button.

"Thank you my lady!" Loki called, a wide grin on his face.

"Cut it out you, I'm busy." She mumbled from somewhere below him which he couldn't see.

Loki smirked and released her from his awkward embrace. "You are too kind to me." He said simply.

Aliah gave a slight 'humph,' sound but did not turn back around, instead she watched Loki out of the corner of her eye, acting disinterested as usual.

Loki turned and sat down in the chair, a quick sigh of pleasure coming to his lips. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back, a small smile of contentment coming to his face.

"Ooohhhh….so much better." Loki called quietly.

Aliah smirked as she rummaged through the papers in her hand. She causally waved her hand and the lever to the side of the chair, overlooked by Loki, gently moved, raising his legs up into a reclining pose.

"Oh my gods….Aliah …." he called back dreamily from behind closed eyes.

Aliah watched him lie there, contented and unmoving, his great belly protruding from under his shirt. She sat the stack of letters aside and wheeled her chair close to his feet.

"What are you doing?" Loki called as he opened one eye to look at her.

Aliah just grinned as she reached out and, taking one foot in her hand, started to gently massage it in her palms.

"ooooogggggggghhhhhhhh." Loki called out. "Thank you….ohhhh so much."

"I know dear." Aliah said quietly with a grin.

Aliah got up and slowly walked over to the reclining price. she slowly bent down and started to gently rub his swollen feet, which had the effect of almost putting Loki to sleep in the chair for a long while. Finally she worked out the last of the fluid up into his legs and patted them gently before returning to her desk.

She picked up the letters again and started searching through them again before she heard Loki stirring behind her. Finally a great exasperated sigh escaped his lips as he gritted his teeth and called out a quiet, "I can't get up."

Aliah chuckled and turned back around, she sat the letters aside and got up. She took a step over to Loki and flipped the lever down, making sure he saw what she did. Loki's legs folded back under him and she extended her hand to him, helping him to stand again.

"Sorry…" Loki mumbled as he waddled back towards the door.

"It's alright, go easy my dear." Aliah said as he waddled back to the bathroom again.

As the door closed Aliah took out a sheet of paper and readied her quill.

She thought for a moment and dipped the quill into the ink….

-Greetings Lord Tyr, I have a favor to ask of you.

Your keep, as you know, is one of the largest and strongest outside of the capital palace. I have need of your strength my lord. I have come into possession of two large and angry beasts, impossible to control and they need to be safely housed somewhere safe. Being that you are indeed the strongest and wisest of the great lords, and being that your father and mine were great friends for so long, I beg of you to help me with this problem. I would gladly pay the upkeep and maintenance of the two beasts if you could find a way to safely house them deep within your keep.

I am forever in your service,

Lady Aliah A, of house Eld—

Aliah finished the letter and folded it carefully, adding a bit of wax to the edge, she pressed a seal with her coat of arms into the wax and rang the bell for the servant.

Loki came back finally and settled again into his new chair, letting his head fall back as his feet came up.

The servant arrived and she handed the letter to him. He bowed and retreated, stopping only to nod as Aliah added a quick, "oh also, tea and biscuits if you please, thank you."

The door closed and she returned to the pile of papers on her desk.

Loki looked over to the table and smiled as he saw the flowers and chocolates.

"You are too kind my lady." He called as he opened the box and smelled the rich aroma wafting towards him. He selected a large bon-bon and savored it slowly as he placed it in his mouth.

"Ohh my." Loki called, "you are too good to me." He called.

"Nothing but the best for my darlings." Aliah said with a smirk as she inspected more papers.

Loki chewed happily, letting the sweet rich flavor ease down his throat. He smiled happily before…..his eyes popped open, growing wider by the second.

Loki flipped the lever and scooted to the edge of the chair, a deeply pained look coming to his face. He grabbed his belly, feeling slephnir within him start to kick and shake.

"AAGHHH!" Loki called out, his face turning to fear and panic.

Aliah swung around and looked at him, her eyes growing wide as she watched the expression turn to one of pain and horror. Loki looked up to her, his hand on his belly, his mouth falling open in terror, his eyes pleading to her, he tried to call out again but he could summon no air to make another sound.

She was out of her chair before she even knew she was up. Now she was grabbing Loki in her arms before she realized he was too heavy. She waved her hand and cast the strength spell, grabbing him up again as she dashed out the door, almost kicking it open in her haste.

Aliah ran to the physician's office, taking great strides as she desperately tried to make the trip as easy for Loki as she could. Loki tried to breath in her arms but could barely catch his breath, a deeply pained look in his eyes as he tried to bury his face into Aliah's shoulder.

Aliah came to the physician's door and, without stopping, kicked the door open, destroying the frame and breaking the door into a million pieces in the process.

The doctor jumped up from behind his desk as his door exploded inward.

"BY THE GODS!" he called, before seeing who it was.

"Get him on the table!" he called as Aliah was already making her way there.

"What's happened?" he asked as she gently placed him upon the bed.

"I don't know!" she said quickly, "he just suddenly….this…and he couldn't breathe…"

"Ok…my lord…can you speak to me?" he said as he tore open Loki's shirt. Loki desperately tried to answer but could not, great tears streaming down his face now as he gasped for breath that would not come.

The doctor ran his hands over Loki's belly, pushing here and there, and feeling as he went for anything out of the ordinary.

"DO SOMETHING!" Aliah screamed.

"NURSE!" the doctor called, as a large woman entered and ran to Aliah's side. She bowed before her apologizing profusely, before she stepped in front of her to get her attention. Anyone else she would have quickly grabbed and pulled them away but that was unacceptable behavior for any noble person's authority to suffer. Instead she bowed again and tried to get her attention. "My lady, you must calm down, you must let the doctor…" but she was cut off as Aliah shoved her away from her violently, unwilling to let anyone get between her and Loki.

"His rib is broken, the baby is reacting violently, my lady," the doctor called, "has he eaten anything to cause this?" he said.

"I gave him some chocolates, he ate one…just now…..that's all...I swear...he was fine just a minute ago…" Aliah called. She tried to calm down, she knew she was in the way but she couldn't tear herself away from him, instead she grabbed Loki's hand closest to her and slumped down onto the floor beside him, holding onto it tenderly. She kneeled there before him, far below his sight and pressed his hand to her forehead and sat quietly.

"Oh dear, nurse, get me the sinappi…make a draught in water…do it now." He called.

The nurse ran to the shelf and retrieved a great yellow powder and mixed a large dose in a large glass of water, stirring it vigorously before handing it to the doctor.

"Now my lord, just drink this and it will help. It will bring what you have eaten out of you. Nurse, fetch a container for the lord." He said.

Aliah stood back up and helped Loki into a sitting position as the doctor forced the drink down his throat. Loki sputtered and coughed as it went down, but thankfully, down it went, burning as it did.

The doctor took the glass away when he had drank it and pulled Loki to the edge of the bed, making him roll to the side in a reclining position. Loki's great belly hung down slightly over the edge, the weight of the baby finally off of his organs, allowing him to catch his breath slightly.

"Ahh…my gods!" Loki called, "slephnir kicked me! I can barely…" but he was cut off as he lurched forward and leaned his head over the edge of the bed into the empty container held by the nurse. Loki retched violently and expelled all his stomach held as he threw out a hand towards the doctor for support. The doctor took his hand and steadied him, making sure he didn't fall. Aliah grabbed his shoulders and ran her hand through his hair, keeping it from falling into his face as he heaved.

The retching finally stopped, and Loki gasped as much as he could, letting his head hang over the edge of the bed, trying to breath and relax but failing.

"That's better my lord, just relax for a bit. Take your time, just try and breath." He said as he looked back to Aliah now.

"My lady, as you know already, chocolates are highly toxic to...ermm…this baby." He said carefully.

Aliah's eyes went wide as she understood his meaning finally. "Oh gods..." she called.

"Oh gods…Loki…I am so sorry….I didn't know….I….I didn't think…." She called back.

"Now it's fine, my lady, let's not worry, the baby seems to have calmed down for now…."

"OH GODS IS IT OK? ARE THEY OKAY?" Aliah said loudly.

"They are fine now…..let's not panic. They are going to be just fine…but he still has a broken rib." The doctor said.

Aliah tried to help Loki lie back, but he waved her off.

"No, I can finally breathe, don't move me…" he called.

Aliah walked around to face him and knelt down beside him. Placing her hand on his rib she closed her eyes, focusing intently on the rib, making sure none of the magic went any further than that. Slowly Loki's face calmed, a small look of ease came across him as he let his head fall to the side in relief.

"Yes…thank you….much better." He breathed.

Aliah sighed deeply and rested her head against his belly, her hands holding onto the side of the bed on either side of his protruding stomach.

"I'm sorry….I didn't know….Loki…." she called without looking up.

"I'm ok now….Aliah …its okay….don't worry." Loki called back. He reached out a hand and stroked her hair gently.

The doctor knelt beside her and bowed his head, unable to touch her in any way as he normally would.

"My lady," he called gently, "the young lord will be fine now, I swear to you." He started, "but no more chocolates." He said quietly.

Aliah nodded gently her understanding against Loki's belly, feeling slephnir gently push out from within. It was as if the baby was trying to calm her from within him and she smiled weakly.

"See," Loki called, "slephnir says he's just fine as well, don't worry my lady." Loki called.

Aliah nodded gently again, but she could not bring herself to say anything. All she could do was hide her face in his belly as the tears rolled down her face. Loki felt the wetness of them against his abdomen and knew she could let no one see her in this state, and yet she was frozen to the spot.

Loki looked over to the doctor and locked eyes with him. "Are we okay now?" he said simply.

"Yes, you should be fine, drink plenty of water and I would advise reading on appropriate food intake if you would my lord?" he called.

Loki nodded once in a regal and calm fashion and glanced down to Aliah as the doctor retreated out of the office, allowing them to be alone.

He ran his hand through her hair comforting her as she knelt beside him, unable to move as she fought to regain control of herself. Loki smiled gently as he watched her, she kissed his belly a few times and ran her hands over it.

Loki pushed himself up onto his elbow and swung his legs out finally, forcing himself to sit up. Aliah refused to move and only moved enough to let his leg swing past her before returning her face to his belly before her. Loki wrapped his legs around her sides and rested his hands upon her head stroking her hair gently.

"I'm so sorry…" she called weakly.

"No….no...It's alright my love…" Loki called. "I didn't know either…I never would have even thought." He said quietly.

"Are you okay?" she called.

"Yes, yes I am quite well now….we are fine." He said quietly.

He reached down and placed a gentle hand on her chin, forcing her head upwards to look at him.

Aliah resisted but he was insistent, she finally stood up and stared at the wall behind him, ashamed of the still visible sign of emotion on her face streaking down from her eyes.

She shifted onto one foot, trying to get ahold of herself as Loki watched her intently.

"Gods, you are beautiful." He said finally.

It worked, his words brought a small smile to her face as she breathed a sigh of relief, she let her eyes fall to his belly, avoiding his gaze still, but it was progress at least.

"Come here." Loki called as he reached out and pulled her into a great hug, his arms snaking around her torso as he buried his head in her chest.

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and stroked his back, breathing a sigh of relief.

"You were so worried…." Loki called gently.

Aliah could only nod her head above him, she turned her cheek against the top of his head and kissed his long locks, smelling his hair gel and shampoo as she did.

"What would I do without you?" he called quietly.

"Evidently," she called back, "not die of poisoning."

"ehehe." Loki chuckled. "Well, I'll be sure we read up on what our dear Slephnir would prefer to eat from now on." He chuckled.

Aliah finally smiled at him now and looked into his eyes.

"perhaps a carrot stew." She grinned.

They smirked at each other and Loki reached his hand up, forcing her down to him.

"Please do." He said with a grin as he kissed her lips gently.

"Are you alright now my lady?" Loki called quietly as he pulled away from his gentle kiss.

"Yes…thank you." She answered almost in a whisper.

She looked down at the floor but Loki reached up and forced her to look at him again. He smiled at her and gave her a wink, making her smile weakly back at him.

"Come on," Loki said, "help me down, I am famished. I hear a large bowl of oatmeal and brown sugar calling my name." he said with a grin.

"That sounds good actually." She answered as she slid her hands around to his behind and lowered him ever so gently to the floor to finally stand.

"Is that fine?" she said, her arms still around his firm ass.

"Oh yes," he called back, a wry grin on his face now. "I like this." He called back. "Perhaps I should do more to receive your affections."

"I will give you all you want," she said with a grin, "just find a better way next time alright?" she grinned.

"You're no fun anymore." Loki chuckled.

They smiled at each other now and Aliah waved her hand, summoning Loki's shirt into her grasp.

"Oh dear," she said inspecting it. "It's done for my dear." she said as she looked at it.

"No problem." Loki said calmly as he waved his hand. A slight shimmer came over him and a new shirt appeared upon him.

"You're very good at that now." She smiled.

"I learn from the best." He replied.

Aliah held her arm out to him and he snaked his arm around her, leaning on her as she helped him. They turned and walked towards the door and stopped. They noticed the shattered remains of what used to be the door and they smirked.

"Oops." Aliah said with a chuckle.

"Someone was in a hurry to get in here…" Loki teased.

"Yes well, some people are just so thoughtless." She smirked.

****************************************************************************

*note: fucking junk mail….it plagues all the nine realms.


	29. Chapter 29

Mandaag morning broke bright and clear, boring and completely devoid of any difference to any other day of the week, seeing as how a weekend was unknown to any inhabitants outside of Midgard. Aliah sat at her desk reading dispatches as usual, having left Loki still sleeping back upstairs, he had still been asleep when she woke up, which was a rare thing lately, and it would have been too cruel to wake him so she had quietly dressed and walked down to her office.

Now she sat alone, a cup of tea and toast just off to her side and a pile of letters in front of her. She picked up the first one and slid her finger across the seal.

-My, lady, Angrboda's pups grow at an alarming rate. The fortress will be unable to house them soon, they must be moved as soon as possible. While the wolf grows steadily, the snake pup doubles in size daily. Please advise.—Ulfr.—

Aliah sat back and considered the words she had read. She had sent a letter to Lord Tyr two weeks ago and expected a response any day now. She rummaged through the great pile of missives before her and smiled as she spotted a letter from the lord within it.

-My lady Aliah, greetings to you, may Odin's favor find you.

I received your request just yesterday and I write to you now to inform you of my agreement. I indeed have a large enough area to house the great beast, a monster of such power cannot be allowed to roam the land and I will happily house it within my walls. I however cannot set aside any more room for the second beast and unfortunately cannot offer any assistance in the matter of it. I would advise you be rid of the beast entirely, if it was I in your shoes, I would just throw the wretched thing into the seas of Midgard.

As for the wolf, I will construct a restraint that even this unholy beast will not be able to break and fetch it to my hold within the week.

As always your friend, Tyr.—

'Oh thank gods." Aliah said with a sigh. Now that that was out of the way, she considered Tyr's words about the snake. Its appearance had not been planned for and at its rate of growth, she decided the best plan would be to indeed just throw it into the sea. Of course there was no way she or any other would have access to the bi-frost to travel to Midgard for such a task and Aliah knew she had to find another way.

"Time to talk to master Bram again." She said to herself. She flipped through the rest of the letters quickly and came upon a regal looking envelope. Aliah frowned as she saw the seal of Odin upon it.

"Great," she breathed and broke apart the seal to read it.

-Lady Aliah,

I require an update on Loki's progress.

HRM Odin Borrson-

Aliah gritted her teeth, seeing the short message made it even more of a rub towards her and more importantly Loki himself. Nothing of even a good morning, nothing even mentioning a 'my son', but of course, he wasn't his son, and it grated on her nerves the more the thought about it. Aliah frowned at the signature at the bottom and stared at it for a while, she threw the letter aside as she felt a metallic tasting bile rise in her throat. She swallowed hard to push it back down, but it was no use, the burning of the acid reflux was now overtaking her throat and nostrils as she sat there.

"Fine you great skullclot, I'll give you an update." She said quietly.

Aliah took out a piece of parchment and dipped her quill in the ink and paused to consider her words. She knew what she wanted to write, but that would get her killed, still it would be a great relief to write something to settle her down, so she decided to write a letter that would never be sent, the small bit of therapy it would give her soul would be invaluable.

-king Odin, of whom I sincerely sneer and refuse to bow to, may you ever find nothing but soured milk and gone off ale,

Since you find you need to check up on my tutoring of your more intelligent and more worthy son, I shall say this,

Lord Loki I find to be one of the most intelligent men I have ever had dealings with, even at his young age. I find him to be a capable scholar, ever willing to advance his mind, a skilled fighter when needs arise and a man of quiet prowess on all accounts.

It is my deep regret that you see him as a lesser to his brother, who in my opinion exhibits only the worst qualities in an Aesir such as a proclivity for ignorance, lust, vice and cruelty at every turn. I can only report that your preference for your son who exhibits your own atrocious characteristics is not only obvious, but also regrettable seeing as how your choice of successor will be nothing but as glaring and distressing as your own rule. May the nine realms escape your tyrannical rule and the soon to be rule of your tyrant eldest oaf Thor as well.-

Aliah threw aside her quill and glared at the note quietly. Her outburst had done nothing to quiet the bile in her throat, but instead had only fed it. She spat out of reflex and stared towards the paper for a while, a feeling of anger rising within her before she got up from her chair and stormed out the door.

"Fignut," she breathed as she walked the halls. "Great numbwad," she continued. She muttered various sneers at the illustrious all-father as she walked, her hatred growing as she went. There was no use for it however, her sneers did nothing to make her calm down, but at least she could curse him, which was the only thing she could do, for now to the hated man on the throne.

"Question my tutoring will you? Fucking moron…we'll see where you end up." She mumbled.

She walked into the great library and proceeded to the secret door at the back, quickly flipping the switch and entering the stairs that lie beyond as quickly as possible.

"Master Bram," she called, wasting no time once she was down the stairs, "I have need of your knowledge my old friend." She called.

Master Bram looked up from his work at the great table. "As always my lady," he called as he struggled to rise.

"No, no, Master," she called as she waved him back down, "there is no need to stand for me master, please, take your ease. We are old friends, do not unsettle yourself on my account." She stated.

"I thank you my lady," Bram called back, easing back into his chair thankfully. "Rather my knees and back thank you even more." He chuckled.

"Indeed, now my master, I wonder if you could help me with a problem." Aliah asked.

"Anything my lady, I am at your service." Bram replied.

"I need to know if there are secret ways around the realms? Unknown passages besides the bi-frost." She said.

"As always my lady," Bram replied, "age and the knowledge acquired by it wins out over youth and inexperience any day." Bram replied with a smile.

He took a piece of paper and wrote down a number and some directions and slid it over to her side of the table.

"This is the book we need my lady, this is where you will find it, upon the farthest shelf," he replied with a grin.

"You are simply invaluable master." Aliah replied as she rose from her chair.

"I know my dear." Bram called back before replacing his massive glasses and returning to the book before him.

Loki slowly waddled into the office, he was still tired, even after having a good night's sleep for a change, and was ravenous. He walked over to the desk where Aliah sat and smirked at the papers strewn about. "Always such a tornado," he smiled as he rang the bell for the servant.

He turned around to head to his comfortable chair, thankful for its presence and noticed the letters on her desk.

Loki looked around and glanced at the door before spying the letter off to one side, noticing the handwriting it contained. Loki frowned and picked it up, quickly taking in the short demand from his father. It quickly registered to him how very brief it was and more importantly, how he was referred to by simply his name. Loki sat the letter back down, a look of quiet bleakness passing over his face. He sighed quietly, and placed a hand upon his distended abdomen, a mixture of sadness and longing filling his heart. Slephnir gently moved within him, feeling his mother's sadness and Loki felt a hoof press out from within him towards his hand, as if the baby was reaching out from within to comfort him. Slephnir brought a smile to Loki's face and he was thankful for life within him once again.

Loki noticed a quill, haphazardly thrown aside across the table now and picked it up, gently replacing it into the ink well and noticed the letter in front of the chair. He glanced over and saw Aliah's familiar writing and saw that it was addressed to Odin himself. He walked around the table and looked down at it, quietly reading the words. As he read, a great smile came to his face, the kind words of Aliah filling him with a deep pride at her compliments. Her adulation of him was something he had craved from his father but had never received. To read her words now made him feel vindicated, a feeling that he quickly realized he craved more of.

As he read down, he admired her strength as well as the audacity she had to completely disregard the man who had denied him any affection all his life. Her words filled Loki with a deep love of Aliah more than ever, but as he read the torrent of abuse she heaped upon his childish brother, Loki realized quickly the underlying current of the letter. Aliah seemed to think that Thor would soon be the new ruler of the nine realms and the idea sickened Loki.

He finished the letter and walked over to sit down in his chair, considering the words he had just read. In as much as Aliah's glowing recommendation of his character had filled him with joy, the realization that his brother would probably be king, despite his lack of any kingly virtues let alone humane qualities, filled him with dread.

"I was a fool to expect anything different from them both." Loki thought. He tried to compose himself as the servant walked in.

"Tea please," Loki said simply, "and oatmeal with sugar."

The servant bowed and retreated, leaving Loki alone with his thoughts as he pondered the utter disregard from his family he was still suffering, even while away from their presence.

Aliah walked back into her office to find Loki quietly sitting in his chair eating a bowl of food.

"Morning," she said simply as she walked to her seat.

"It is at that." Loki said flatly.

Aliah glanced at him as she noticed the letters on her desk that she had forgotten to put away.

"Well drannit," she breathed as she slumped into her chair. "Loki I didn't mean for you to see this." She said as she took the letter and crumpled it up.

Loki responded by taking another bite of food and chewed slowly.

"Aw draz," Aliah sighed, "I wasn't going to send that one, you know that right…" Aliah said.

"I really wish you would." Loki said simply.

Now it was Aliah's turn to be quiet, the mood was cold and the silence between them was louder at that moment than any scream ever could have been.

Aliah turned around in her chair and stared at the wall beside Loki, keeping him only in the corner of her eye. She watched as he finished his bowl and carefully sipped his cup of tea.

"I'm sorry." Aliah said quietly to the wall, a small frown upon her face as she did.

"No," Loki finally called back. "I thank you for your kind words, and as far as the other things about my father and brother, you were nothing but correct, as usual." Loki finally said.

Aliah glanced over at Loki and saw the small lost look upon his face. She could see him hide his emotions and to anyone else, it would have worked, but she saw the pain in his eyes, he could hide nothing from her after all.

'Good,' Aliah thought quietly, 'let your pain turn into hate my dear one. Let it make you strong.'

"You deserve better." Aliah finally said as she turned back around in her chair. She took out another piece of parchment and dipped her quill into the ink. "You're better than all of them." She added.

Loki looked up from his tea behind her and smiled slightly.

"You're right." Loki said. Aliah looked up from her writing and stared at the wall in front of her, the smallest and most careful of smiles spreading onto her face.

"I'm clearly the better choice, I always have been. Somehow though, I've always known, he'll never let me rule." Loki said quietly.

Aliah finished the proper letter to Odin and folded it carefully. She placed a wax seal on it and set it aside, turning around in her chair to face Loki.

She stared at him carefully, watching his face as he sat there thinking.

'Come on my dear," she thought, 'you can do it, I know you can…after everything you've seen with me…take it in and use it all as I have shown you.'

"You can do something about it." Aliah said carefully as she stared down at her boot.

She glanced over to Loki and saw him considering her words.

"You deserve to be on that throne." Aliah finally said. "And you know it." She said as she gathered up the letters and walked over to the door.

"Think about it." She added before walking out the door and shutting it quietly behind her.

Loki sat calmly in his chair, his legs resting in the comfortable recliner and slowly raised a hand to his mouth, deep in thought as he considered Aliah's words.

Aliah walked to her servant across the way and handed the stack of letters to him. "Send these out immediately." She said as she dumped them into his hands.

The servant bowed before her and left to carry out her words. She turned around and stopped, looking down the hall and turned towards the door at the end, walking out into the stable yards.

Aliah inspected the horses as she walked by the busy stables. A few were being kept in large pens, obviously pregnant, to keep them safe from harm, their babies due within a month or so the same as Loki. She thought about him sitting back in her offices, and knew that his thoughts were turned towards her words which made her smile deeply to herself.

'You know you want it my prince,' she thought, 'reach out and take what should be yours, and remember who helped you do it.'

Aliah smiled wickedly to herself as she stood there, quietly looking around as the servants went about their business. She heard the clanging of the iron from the forge across the way and suddenly had a wonderful idea.

Aliah walked over to the smith, the large man was well muscled and sweaty from the heat. He looked up briefly and bowed to her.

"My lady!" he called, "to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I have a request for you." Aliah said with a grin.

"Anything my lady, I am at your service." The man called back.

Aliah walked back into her offices and glanced toward Loki sitting comfortably in his recliner.

She seated herself at her desk and started to arrange the stacks of papers strung out across it, throwing some away while filing others away into neat piles.

"What would you suggest?" She heard from behind her.

"What do you mean?" Aliah called without turning around.

"Aliah," she heard and slowly turned around in her chair to face Loki. His eyes were just slightly red, but she knew he was fighting back the rage and the tears that those emotions brought with them.

"You know exactly what I mean." He said carefully. "I can't let that idiot rule in my place. There must be something I can do."

Aliah rolled her chair over close to him and placed her hands upon his knees and examined his belly carefully. Carefully she considered her words and when she had found them, slowly looked up into his eyes.

"If you want it my prince," she said quietly, "I will help you in any way I can, to the best of my abilities, to secure what you truly deserve."

Loki's face was serious, he had finally decided that he was done being overlooked and Aliah was his best chance to do something about it. He latched onto the hope she had extended and decided then and there, to never look back.

"Tell me what I must do." He finally said.

Aliah could not contain the evil smile that crept onto her face, it was as if she had cast out for a trout and had instead caught a whale, and her heart lept within her breast to see the cruel smile that appeared on Loki's face as well.

"We will think of something my prince." Aliah said, "have no fear about that. For now however, let's focus on having a healthy slephnir shall we?"

"Agreed, there is still time to plan. But make no mistake," Loki called, "this will happen, I swear to you my lady, I will have a throne, and we will be together because of it."

"Good," Aliah said simply as she leaned over Loki," you are the rightful king of Asgard and you deserve nothing less." Aliah said.

And then she leaned down and kissed Loki gently and passionately on his sweet lips. They stared deeply into the others eyes when she pulled away and together, they grinned an evil smile as they both rubbed his large belly, anticipating the day when he would be able to return to his more active self and start down his new path, a path that would lead him to what he had desired for so long.


	30. Chapter 30

"My Lady," Loki called out, he waited a few moments but heard no reply.

Instead Aliah rolled over in bed and snorted slightly. She was exhausted, they both were, the past few weeks had been, simply put, terrible. Loki could barely sleep, and Aliah had finally brought a comfortable but firm chair with a footstool into the bedchambers for him. It had been the only way he could get any rest, what little he did get, and they were both quite over this whole pregnancy thing altogether.

The past week had seen Loki sitting up in the chair to sleep and he was up all hours of the night now, keeping Aliah up as much as him. This night she was so exhausted she had left her offices early and come to bed before dinner.

Loki could no longer even waddle down the stairs and therefore stayed inside the bedchamber reading and relaxing as much as possible. But tonight, he simply could not calm down.

Loki had eaten nothing today oddly and felt a sick nausea every time he even thought about food. It was around midnight when he went to the bathroom, again, and came back from the bath and called to Aliah.

"Aliah!" Loki called, still she refused to even move.

Loki held his great belly and waddled over to Aliah's side of the bed, not far from his chair and placed his hand on her shoulder. He rocked her gently and called again.

"Aliah, wake up…" he said in a louder voice.

"Huh?...ugh...what….leave me be….so tired." Aliah called back.

"Aliah, its time…" Loki said quietly.

Aliah's eyes opened slightly and tried to focus on the blurry image of Loki before her.

"Its time you went to bed, go rest Loki, please, I beg you." She answered.

Loki frowned and seized her shoulder in a strong grasp, gasping as he did and suddenly doubled over slightly.

"No gods dammit, Aliah wake up!" Loki said loudly." IT'S TIME!"

Aliah's eyes popped open quickly, she watched his face for a moment before his words registered.

"Oh….OH! OH….SHIT...SHIT…..OK…UHHHHHH." Aliah stammered as she sat bolt upright in bed.

"DON'T PANIC! WE…..UH….FUCK…" Aliah said as she waved her hand and became dressed.

"Uh...are you alright?" she asked.

"Yes, for now but…unghhh!" he called as a contraction overtook him.

"AW FUCK WHAT DO I DO!?" she yelled.

"We need to get the physician." Loki said as his contraction eased.

"Oh yes…ok…on it." Aliah said as she ran for the door and threw it open. She took five giant running steps down the hall before she realized what was wrong and came back. She ran back and scooped Loki up in her arms and ran back out the door.

"Alright my lady, you must calm down." The doctor called.

"Nurse, give our lady a sedative if she cannot restrain herself." The doctor called. A nurse on the other side of Loki slowly looked over to Aliah and nodded slowly, a look of quiet terror on her face.

Loki sat in a great chair off to the side and looked as if he was about to die, at least it looked that way to Aliah. She had never seen anyone in so much pain before. Sweat poured from Loki's face which was bright red from pain and he thrashed his head from side to side, unable to breathe until the newest contraction passed.

"This simply won't work my lord, the baby is far too big…" the doctor said matter-of-factly.

"Loki, you need to change shape, do you hear me?" Aliah said as she held his hand.

Loki simply nodded and looked up to the doctor in front of him.

Aliah helped him to his feet and waved the nurse and doctor aside.

"Stand back, are you sure this room is big enough?" she called.

"For what?" the doctor asked.

"FOR A HORSE TO GIVE BIRTH HERE YOU FOOL!" Aliah raged.

"Well of course it isn't, my lady! Are you saying….oh…you are….uh…we need to get him to the stables. That's the only place big enough for...that sort of...birth." the doctor replied.

Aliah scooped Loki up in her arms again and ran out the door. The doctor and nurse stared at each other before Aliah came running back through the door. "Come on! To the stables!" she called, and they gathered up their things and followed quickly behind.

The stables were quiet, save for the horses already in their stalls. Only one other horse had already given birth and both mare and colt were in the very next stall.

Aliah ran to the nearest empty stall and kicked open the gate. The floor was fresh and clean, a new layer of sweet smelling hay covered the floor deeply and she gently placed Loki down on the floor.

"My dear," she called, "this will be the best place, change your shape my dear, please, before your strength leaves you." She said as she helped Loki down onto all fours, his face red and sweaty.

Loki nodded and reached out, grabbing her hand tightly. He looked up into her eyes and smiled.

"It's going to be alright my love." He called. And with that, a golden shimmer came over him.

The doctor and nurse came running and stopped just at the gate, a small gasp coming to their lips as they saw a shimmer disappear leaving a great black mare standing before Aliah.

"Help....her…" Aliah called as she turned to look at the doctor.

The doctor nodded and turned to his nurse, "go get the stable master." He said simply. The nurse turned quickly and ran towards the apartment connected to the large stable.

"Now my lord," he said to the mare before him, "you will be just fine."

**********************************************************************************************

Hours passed, Aliah paced back and forth just outside the stall where Loki lie. He had finally become too weak to stand and had lain down on his side. The smell of sweat and horse mingled together with great snorts and deep breaths from inside.

At the stable master's insistence, she had finally stepped outside to try and calm down. "It could be a while my lady." He had said to her. "These things take time, sometimes all night, possibly into tomorrow, please, we know how to handle a proper foaling, and I promise you my lady. Take your ease for a bit, we will not leave the mares side." He said as he tried to calm her.

Aliah took comfort in the fact that the stable master did not know it was Lord Loki, and soon neither would the doctor or nurse. Until then, the three people most useful to Loki right now were with him, and would not leave his side.

She had finally relented, after 3 hours by his side, she needed a break. She needed a drink more than anything and so she had in her exhaustion finally agreed to step outside for some fresh air. She walked back to the offices and rang the bell, leaving the room to pace the hallway once again.

The servant finally arrived, clothed in a nightshirt and loose pants, but he had arrived.

"A great mare is giving birth," she said to his bleary eyes. "I require food and refreshment brought to the stables, bring enough for 4 people." She said as she quickly walked back outside. The servant nodded and headed to the kitchens to fix a great tray for the odd midnight activities.

Aliah paced just outside the stall smoking a cigarette as she paced back and forth, unable to stop her motions.

Dawn was creeping over the horizon, the black night barely tuning to a dark blue far to the east.

The night had been long and all she or the others could do was wait. Occasionally the doctor came out to reassure her everything was still going as planned, but it had not eased her mind in the slightest. Finally, the stable master had risen from his stool inside the stall and looked out, "my lady," he called, "the foal arrives!"

Aliah turned and looked towards the man standing at the gate to the pen and flicked away the cigarette as she rushed over once the words registered. She ran inside the pen and knelt beside Loki's head. He was covered in sweat and froth and visibly exhausted from the hours of labor.

"Almost done my dear," she called. "Push now." She called.

With a great effort, Loki-mare heaved and snorted as the doctor and stable master crowded around the back end. Aliah couldn't look, and she buried her head into the great neck of Loki before her.

"The foal has arrived!" she heard from below her, followed by a quick gasp, "BY THE GODS!"

The sight of the eight-legged foal took the stable master by surprise, but the doctor had known what to expect.

Aliah heard hurried whispers as the doctor quickly silenced the stable master in fear for his life at the man's outburst.

"Slephnir, is it alright?" Aliah called.

"Ye….yes my lady! The foal is unique, but healthy…its a boy!" the man called back.

"Well done my love…well done." Aliah called quietly. Loki flopped his great head down into the hay and panted heavily.

The doctor pulled the sac from the foal and started patting it dry with a towel. The foal was a dark black color, just as his mother and father were, bright red eyes shone out as it opened them for the first time.

"Magnificent!" the stable master called. "I have never seen its equal." He wondered.

The little colt was strong and he bleated softly as he rolled onto his numerous legs, already trying to stand up.

"It's a fine stallion! Already he tries to stand!" Aliah heard.

"I am so glad it's finally over, thank the gods." She called.

Loki took a deep breath and rose up onto his side, looking down at the foal beside him. He nuzzled the little foal gently and looked back to Aliah, nodding slowly.

"I thank you gentlemen," Aliah called, knowing that Loki was alright now put her at ease and she wished now for them to be left alone.

"Doctor, is there anything else to be done?" she asked.

"No, we are done here my lady." He said as he packed up his instruments into his bag.

He walked over to Aliah and knelt beside her.

"Our lord should rest," he stated quietly. "No baths, not for a few days, and I will come check on him tomorrow. But everything is fine now, also, no….erm...intimate activity for six weeks my lady." He said.

"I understand doctor, I thank you. Please, leave us be now." She called.

The doctor bowed and motioned for the nurse and stable master to follow him as he left.

Aliah watched them leave and turned back to Loki now, smiling as she watched the new mother and foal nuzzling each other happily on the floor.

Loki and Aliah lie on the floor for another hour before a familiar shimmer came over him, changing back into his normal self. Aliah waved her hand and helped him into a great fluffy robe that she made appear before her, quickly she threw it over Loki's naked form and tied it around his waist.

Slephnir bleated softly and stumbled forward, wobbly on all the legs he desperately tried to control. Finally the foal simply lay down beside them and placed his head in Loki's now human lap. They smiled at each other and lavished all their love and attention on the sweet baby as they relaxed in the hay.

"Shall I conjure a bed for us here my dear?" Aliah said softly.

"Just for today, yes that would be wonderful." Loki said quietly.

"We should also open the gate between the stalls, the mare beside us has given birth, she's always been a good mother and I know she would suckle little slephy…perhaps?" Aliah said.

"Yes, he must be hungry, it will have to be done…." Loki said quietly.

Aliah wrapped her arms around Loki and gently held him in her arms, he was exhausted and almost fell asleep in her arms there.

Aliah leaned him back down, letting him curl around Slephnir as she summoned all her strength, reaching out with both hands, she summoned a fine, comfortable mattress covered in sheets and numerous pillows to appear in the corner. She picked up Loki and placed him on his side comfortably. The little foal bleated softly and tried to get up. Aliah chuckled at the tangled mess of legs and fur that the little foal was comprised of still and she slowly came over to him. She gently picked up the little foal in her arms and carried him to Loki's side. Loki reached out and laid his hand on the foal, calming the babe and it laid down in the hay beside its mother, happily nuzzling Loki in his side.

Aliah then went to the gate that separated the two stalls and opened the door. The mare on the other side snuffled quietly and walked over to her, nuzzling her hand, a baby following close behind her.

"Good morning my dear," Aliah called to the brown mare. "Would you nurse our little slephy perhaps?" she called.

The mare walked into the stall now, having heard the efforts of Loki and understood that a new foal had arrived. The mare looked around the stall and found the foal beside Loki in the corner. She walked over to slephnir and nuzzled the foal gently, causing slephnir to look up and see the mother above him. Slephnir needed no more introductions, he forced all his legs underneath him and forced himself up upon all eight of his wobbly legs.

As Aliah crawled into the bed behind Loki, she watched as the mare happily nuzzled and nursed little Slephnir as well as her own foal. Loki and Aliah smiled as she wrapped her arms around his chest gently, pulling him into a loving embrace.

"Well done my love." Aliah called.

"He is magnificent, just like his mother." Loki said.

Aliah chuckled quietly and spread her hand out over Loki, a soft gold glow coming to her hand. The glow spread out and engulfed Loki, healing his body, taking away his last remaining pains and washed away the sweat and dirt.

Loki smiled as a look of ease spread over him and he released himself to his exhaustion, falling into a contented sleep.

Aliah smiled and kissed his neck softly, waving her hand again a soft blue glow engulfed Loki's body, easing his stretched belly. It would take a few more days of the treatment, but soon he would be back to his old self.

Aliah sighed wearily and let her hand fall across Loki's chest, burying her head into his neck she watched as the mare tended to Slephnir as only a mother could and fell asleep behind Loki, thankful that the ordeal was finally over.

"My lady?" Aliah heard as she opened her eyes. Before her stood the stable master once again. Aliah rose up on her side and looked around. Loki lie sleeping beside her, still exhausted from his efforts.

"Good morning stable master." Aliah called. She gently got up from the mattress on the floor, leaving Loki sleeping as she stepped over him and brushed herself off.

"Are you well this morning? I had no idea you would sleep here, where is the mare? I see the foal…" he started to say.

Aliah waved her hand and the man quickly silenced his speech.

"Erm, I'm sorry my lady…" he started, passing a hand over his now suddenly exhausted face.

"I see, uh…ah yes the mare, she had two foals…yes now I remember…I can assure you my lady, I will tend to the foal with all my attention." He finally said.

"Yes, please see that you do, a foal with eight legs is a sight never before seen. Make sure you treat him as your own child master." Aliah called.

"I will my lady, perhaps you and the lord should return and rest properly?" he said.

"Yes, that is a good idea. I leave you now." Aliah said simply.

She waved the man away and he bowed respectfully before backing out of the stall.

Aliah looked over to little Slephnir and smiled, the mother mare doted on both her own and the new foal as if they were both hers. She had always been a good mother and Aliah smiled as she watched little Slephnir nuzzle against her. Aliah turned around and reached down, gently picking Loki up in her arms and cradled him carefully.

Slephnir came slowly over to them as she waved a hand, making the bed disappear and nuzzled and snorted into her side.

"Ah yes, you're a good little thing aren't you boy? Your mother will come to visit you soon my dear, he must rest now, grow strong little one, we will see you soon." Aliah said.

Slephnir nuzzled Loki's head as she kneeled down, letting the little foal mouth Loki's head.

Loki's eyes popped open and chuckled slightly at the feel of the foal's mouth on his hair.

"Eheheh, such a good little one." Loki smiled wearily. He reached a hand out and patted the foal as Aliah rose back up and carried his tired body back inside to their waiting bedchamber.

"Lord Loki is in good health, he is recovering remarkably fast. There should be nothing else to do but let him rest as much as possible. The six week rule is still in effect, but he should be alright to bathe normally by tomorrow. Continue to take the supplements for a few more weeks, and then he should be fine." The doctor said as he replaced his instruments into his bag.

"Thank you doctor. You have served me well again." Aliah said.

"I am at your service my lady. If it pleases you…." He stumbled, "I want you to know…not a word from me…I would never…" he started.

"Oh I know." Aliah said as she raised a hand, stopping him from speaking.

"Have no fear doctor, you are safe with me. Please, take your ease, you have done well and I thank you." Aliah said as she bowed slightly.

The doctor slowly eased his worried brow and bowed deeply before her, before retreating out the door of the bedchambers, leaving Aliah and Loki alone.

Aliah watched as the door closed and turned her gaze back to Loki. He was sitting up in bed, a mountain of pillows around and behind him. Carefully he sipped a cup of tea he held in his hands and smiled back at her as he looked over at her.

Aliah smiled and carefully crept back into bed beside him, placing her hand gently on his arm.

"Can I get you anything my dear?" Aliah said.

Loki grinned at her and placed his teacup aside.

"I am fine, stop worrying." Loki called. "Thank you my dear." he added.

Aliah nodded and kissed his forehead, she leaned back on some pillows beside him and let herself close her eyes just for a second, before she was out again and snoring softly beside him.

Loki chuckled and leaned his head back, gladly joining her in the much needed rest.

Downstairs on the first floor, the doctor and his nurse walked back into the office and sat down at the desk. They looked at each other and said nothing. Finally they looked towards each other and dared to speak.

"Are we safe?" the nurse asked him carefully.

"I think so, the lady thanked me and told me to not worry, so I can only surmise that perhaps she is thankful enough to let us be." He answered.

They both sighed and carefully let a smile creep onto their faces.

The doctor pulled out a pitcher and two glasses and poured a small glass of wine for them both. He handed one glass to the nurse and smiled happily.

"To the abomination." He said.

"Agreed." The nurse replied as they took a sip of the wine.

"Thank the gods…" the doctor trailed off. He had meant to express how happy they both were that the birth was finally accomplished but he didn't get the rest of the words out before they both slumped down in their chairs. A passing servant two hours later would find them there, and screaming, would call for help from the head butler.

Their deaths would be blamed on an overdose of opium they had drank in their wine. The realization that the doctor and his nurse were drug addicts would be hushed up of course, but his name was ruined. It was seen as a bad omen they had decided to destroy themselves on the same day that the monstrous Slephnir, who was viewed with a mixture of fear and admiration, would be born on.

Out in the stable, the little eight legged foal was happily playing with his adopted brother while the surrogate mother gently tended to them both.

High above them in her sleep, Aliah grinned and chuckled deeply. She held Loki closer to her as her mind eased deeper into slumber, secure in the knowledge that neither one of the skilled servants would ever be tempted to let their secret knowledge slip from their mouths.


	31. Chapter 31

"Good morning my dear." Aliah called.

Three months had passed since slephnir had arrived and Loki was back to his normal self.

Loki rolled over and opened his eyes slowly as Aliah's face came into focus. He smiled and stretched, breathing a large yawn as his head cleared.

"Good morning." He finally answered back.

"Thought you might like these." Aliah said softly as she kissed his forehead.

Loki looked over and saw a large bouquet of flowers beside him in the bed. He smiled as he saw them and flashed a grin to Aliah as he looked back to her.

"You are a delight my lady." He said softly.

"I know," she said. "Thought you might like this as well…"Aliah said as she placed a large box beside him.

Loki sat up and eyed the box suspiciously.

"What's this?" he asked.

Aliah just shrugged and grinned to herself. "Open it." She said casually.

Loki pulled off the large bow and took the top off peering inside carefully, as he did, a large grin came to his face as he looked back to Aliah.

"I…Aliah, I am overwhelmed…" he said as he lifted the great golden helm from the box. He ran his hands down the large gold horns and grinned wildly.

Aliah grinned now, watching him run his hands over the polished metal in the most sensual way.

"Thank you…it's magnificent." He called.

"As its owner is." She said simply.

"Try it on." She said.

He slipped the helm on and found it fit perfectly, the gold gleaming as the light in the room caught it from every angle. He got out of bed and walked to the mirror turning every way to see his reflection as he went.

"This is worthy of a king." He said quietly

"Yes my dear," Aliah called, "you deserved a helm that no one could overlook, now no one will ever be able to do that again. Never let them overlook you my darling, always remember, you are so far above them, every one of them, you are a god, never forget that. I had it imbued with a special magic as well, when its on Heimdahl will never be able to see your movement, you will be shielded from his sight." She said.

"I will think of you every time I wear it." Loki called as he walked over to Aliah, catching her in his arms to lean in for a kiss.

"Hey watch it!" she said as the horns almost banged into her skull. "Careful there tiger, you must get used to your new horns first." She chuckled.

"I remembered how you admired my circlet my dear, I think these are far more fitting your station. It will keep you safe, wherever you go." She said quietly.

Loki bowed his head slightly towards her and winked to her mischievously. She smiled back and turned her head slightly, catching his lips in hers as they kissed passionately. Finally she withdrew slightly, the taste of cinnamon and in her mouth from his kiss, she squeezed Loki's arms and winked to him, turning around she slowly headed for the door.

"I'll see you after you visit the little one my dear." she called as she walked out and quietly closed the door behind her.

Loki turned back to the mirror and admired his form once again, turning round and round, smiling a toothy grin as he did. Finally he removed the helm and smiled as he ran his hands down the great golden horns, as he felt the polished metal, he thought of Aliah. And then he imagined the faces of his brother and father when they would see him in the grand helm for the first time.

'They'll never overlook me again.' He thought quietly as he waved his hands and the helm disappeared, ready to be called at a whim.

Loki walked into Aliah's offices, having come from the stables to visit Slephnir.

"How is the young one this morning?" Aliah called.

"He grows remarkably fast." Loki said with a proud smug. "He is strong and faster than any of the other colts." He mused, "A testament to the virility of his mother I do believe." He added.

Aliah chuckled quietly and shook her head, turning her gaze back to the book on her desk before her.

His words brought her back to the problem of the great snake sharply. She stared back down at the words in the book as it described all the hidden and forgotten secret passages between the nine worlds and she quietly scribbled on a piece of paper beside the book, noting the useful paths she would need for her trip to throw the great snake into the Midgard ocean soon.

"What are you reading there?" Loki called, intrigued by any old book he had not seen before.

Aliah thought quickly about what to say but decided this particular problem wouldn't be one since Loki had no way of knowing it was by his creation.

"This," Aliah said carefully, "is a record of all the secret paths between worlds." She said.

"I thought the bi-frost was the only way…are you telling me…there are others?" he said with wide eyes.

"Oh yes my dear, long forgotten by all but the oldest of people, all the other books have long since turned to dust but I…" Aliah said with a grin as she looked up to him then, "have an excellent master of long forgotten knowledge, he is invaluable and things like this prove it."

Loki bent down over the book, running his fingertips over the dusty pages, admiring the knowledge the book must contain.

"I must know all these secrets." Loki said quietly.

"I agree, it could only come in handy sometime I'm sure." Aliah grinned back.

They sat the rest of the morning and into the afternoon, examining the book and discussing the various secret paths that were entailed within its pages.

"I wonder how many people died to hide this knowledge." Loki wondered.

"More than we can image my dear…more than we could ever know." Aliah answered.

"We must examine these for ourselves." Loki said.

"I was just thinking the same thing myself, in fact," Aliah said, leaning back in her chair finally. "I have a little problem that needs getting rid of and this is a perfect opportunity to see if these are correct, what do you say my dear?" Aliah asked.

"Oh yes," Loki said with a grin, "I can't wait."

Aliah then described the growing threat of the large serpent housed in one of her keeps not far away.

"I agree," Loki finally said as he grasped the situation, "throwing it into the sea would be the easiest way to get rid of this problem." He stated.

"When do we leave?" he said with a grin.

"In the morning perhaps?" Aliah said.

"excellent." Loki grinned back happily.

The rest of the afternoon Aliah and Loki spent with preparations for the trip. Ulfr was notified of their need of him and instructed to prepare for the trip. "Should only be a day I would guess." Aliah said thoughtfully, "but better to prepare." She added.

Loki nodded thoughtfully as he cleared his desk and put away his books into one of the drawers within it.

"We will also need something better than horses." Aliah said casually.

"Care for an air-boat ride dear?" she said.

"Eheheh." Loki said with an evil grin.

The next morning Loki, Aliah and Ulfr boarded a small air-boat docked down by the river. Pushing a button located to the side of the long steerage device, they speed away towards the keep just south of the palace grounds. It takes them only 3 hours to reach it since the boat travels faster than any horse could ever gallop. Eventually, the boat quietly shuddered to a stop just outside the gate to the small keep.

A small group of attendants come out to greet them and bowed respectfully. The attendants quickly assembled a small group and descended the steps to the lowest dungeon. A cage containing the now horse sized snake was hauled up through a great hole in the ceiling. Heaving and puling on the ropes, it took five attendants the better part of an hour but finally, the cage was raised and loaded into the small boat.

"This is where we part Ulfr." Aliah said to her friend.

"As you wish my lady." He replied.

"We should return tomorrow at the latest, one less problem on our hands." She stated.

Ulfr bowed quickly to her and Loki as they entered the boat and with a flick of the switch with Loki at the helm, he steered the boat across the fields and meadows and disappeared over the horizon, leaving Ulfr back at the keep to make his way back home on horseback.

"This passage is the closest." Loki says as they stared at the notes Aliah brought along.

"If we take this passage, it will bring us out on a remote plane in Svartelheim, from there it's only a kilometer or so to a connecting passage to Midgard. Simple enough." Loki stated.

"Agreed, well my dear, let's see if this book was worth it or not." Aliah said.

Loki nodded and turned the steerage towards the indicated passage, just over a ridge from their current position.

As they came over the ridge, Loki slowed the boat to a halt. They examined the view in front of them, a large rocky coast greeted them, no sign of any passage anywhere to be seen.

"It must be here somewhere." Aliah breathed. Together they scanned the coast looking for anything out of the ordinary, but nothing remarkable could be seen anywhere.

Finally Loki pointed to a small outcrop down the way.

"There." He stated.

"Are you sure? I see nothing." Aliah said.

"Trust me." Loki said with a grin.

Aliah's gut falls as he says the words, she most certainly did not trust anyone who ever said that to her, but she had no other option. She put her faith in the fact that Loki had no desire to die this day either and so she sank down beside the great cage, wrapping her hands around a leather restraint should any turbulence try to flip her out of the boat.

Behind her, Loki smiled as the wind blew through his hair, his robes fluttering in the strong wind as he egged the boat to go faster and faster. The wind stung his eyes and caused them to water but nothing could contain his joy, he laughed in a deep satisfied call as he grasped the steerage post between his hands.

Aliah closed her eyes, moaning softly to herself as she resigned herself to her fate.

The rocky outcrop flew towards them at an alarming rate, Loki grinned widely while Aliah forced herself not to look or scream out and then….they were through.

Great sparks showered around them as the very fabric between worlds was rent asunder, spitting them out the other side onto a barren black landscape beneath a sickly red sun.

"Ha ha!" Loki called triumphantly. "I knew it!" He said happily.

Aliah clapped a hand over her mouth quickly as she refused the sickness rising in her mouth, forcing it to slowly slide back down her throat.

"Ugh…next time go slower please." Aliah begged.

"You doubt my skills?" Loki replied with a grin.

"Always." Aliah called back, forcing her stomach to settle down.

She waved her hand finally and a large file of notes appeared before her. Loki leaned down and they examined the maps and notations before her, finally nodding to each other, Loki forced the steerage upwards and the boat lurched forward, carrying them off to the next passage just over the hill.

Nothing but black rocks and dust greeted them as they traveled along the bleak land.

"Looks like these passages are hidden all within rock my dear." Loki called.

"Oh great, just….great…well, get it over with already." Aliah called. They scanned the large mountain before them but this time the passage was clear thankfully. A small cave was the only indication of the passage this time, and Loki steered the boat upwards and into it. The sparks flew again and as they came out the other side into a blinding light.

Great white cliffs appeared behind them and Loki noted the exact spot they emerged before turning forward to greet the wide ocean before them.

"Midgard." He called to Aliah.

"Well at least it's a better view than Svartelheim." She said casually.

Loki steered the boat out into the sea, the great white cliffs behind them reduced to a miniscule size far behind them before he finally stopped the boat.

"Should be far enough" he said.

"Agreed." Aliah called back.

Together they unlocked the cage, throwing back the door as the great serpent twisted and threatened to spill out upon them, before tipping the whole thing over into the ocean. They watched the cage sink to the murky depths and noticed the great serpent uncurl and swim off, unaffected by the water in the slightest.

"I don't think this water had any effect at all on it." She said.

"Well then, at least we didn't kill it. It's the midgardian's problem now." Loki grinned.

"True enough." Aliah sighed as she let her legs finally spread out.

She thought for only a moment how she had just cast one of Loki's children into the sea, far from his home land but she put it out of her mind quickly. the great beast was a true terror, nothing of the sweetness of Slephnir was within the great beast and that alone eased her mind. she thought quickly of how the other beast, the giant wolf was now safely housed within the great castle of Lord Tyr, safe and secure, awaiting the day she would call upon it to help destroy the brother of the man she hated so much, Villi would have his day soon enough, and afterwards, the hated Odin would follow.

"Well, now we know your book is worth the effort." Loki said. "I would love a copy of it if I could my love."

his words snapped her back to reality and she looked around them, the sun was bright and white clouds lazily eased across the sky as they gently bobbed up and down just above the waves beneath them.

"Good idea." Aliah said. "I'll have master Bram make you one as soon as we return." Aliah said.

Loki grinned and nodded back to Aliah as he grasped the steerage once again, turning the boat around they headed back at a furious speed towards the great white cliffs aiming for the hidden passage to take them back to Svartelheim.

It was midnight before they finally arrived back at the castle. Loki and Aliah walked slowly up the steps and back into the bedchamber, kicking off their boots they fell into bed, glad to be back and in the comfortable clean sheets.

"I'm glad that's over." Aliah said to the ceiling. Loki rolled over and buried his head in her shoulder, "I'm just glad I can sleep again." He said.

Aliah chuckled, "I'll bet." She said as she ran her hands through his hair.

"You were so massive…" she chuckled.

Loki winced at the memory of it all. He reached up and shoved a finger into the lowest rib on Aliah's side, sending her into a mad frenzy of laughter.

"That'll teach you to mock me." Loki chuckled as he pressed harder.

"AAGHHH!" Aliah called out, trying to scoot away from his probing fingers but Loki grabbed her side and held on tightly, forcing her to endure the torment.

Their fatigue gave way to laughter and playful foreplay as they wrestled with one another before Loki ripped the clothes from her body. The moons shone brightly above them as their bodies writhed and contended with the other in a passionate embrace late into the night.


	32. Chapter 32

Days turned into weeks and Slephnir grew at an alarming rate, just as his brothers had done unknown to him. Loki spent mornings with the colt, training him as he grew. It helped that Loki could talk with the magnificent horse, yet no one else could understand them. Slephnir was indeed a sentient being, capable of understanding all those around him, but only Loki was able to converse with him directly.

As the days went by, Loki knew that the time would come when he would have to be sent back to the capital, and in his heart, Loki held to the hope that his 'gift' of the magnificent child he had born would somehow make his father see him. And yet, he knew, deep inside, that hope would never come true, but still he clung to it within his heart.

Finally, the day came. Slephnir was six months old and fully grown, and Loki walked out one more bright morning to laugh and ride the meadows with his son. Tomorrow, a caravan would deliver Slephnir to his father and he would wait for his father to send word that he was thankful for his gift. A magnificent steed for the ruler of the nine realms.

That bright morning dawned and Loki arose early and went out to the great steed. "I will miss you." Loki said simply, Slephnir bowed his head to his mother and Loki embraced the powerful face of his son. "I will see you soon, don't worry, I will come back to the capital before you know it. Now go, and enjoy all the rewards that being the mount of the king of the nine realms will afford you my son." And with that, Loki patted Slephnir's head and waved as the caravan set off, knowing he would see him again soon, and that fact pressed into his brain as he watched them disappear over the horizon.

Loki came down every morning and waited for the mail, days turned into weeks, but nothing came.

Aliah watched as Loki retreated into himself, a melancholy overtook him, plunging him into a sadness she had never seen. It wasn't just the fact that Slephnir was gone, but it was more the fact that his father couldn't even send a thank you. Loki was to receive nothing of acknowledgement from his father, and it tore him apart.

"I don't know what I had expected." Loki said one morning. Aliah could do nothing but stare into her teacup, alone with the knowledge that the acknowledgement that Loki craved from his father so desperately, would never come.

Finally, two weeks later, Loki and Aliah sat at their desks in her offices, drinking their morning tea when Bjorn came in with the mail.

Two letters were in his hand, one addressed to each of them, the familiar great seal of Odin upon them. They looked at each other as the letters sat in their hands, each knowing their lives were about to change, never to be the same.

They sighed, letting the moment seep into their beings, before sliding their thumbs against the wax and unfolding the letters. Quietly they read, and when they were done, the looked at each other with grim faces. Aliah could do nothing but stare at her boot for the longest time, Loki on the other hand, sat quietly seething, a hatred building inside him that he could not repress.

"What did yours say?" Aliah asked Loki.

Loki held out his letter towards Aliah and took hers in return; they read what had been sent to the other and quietly sat for the longest time, lost in their own thoughts.

-Loki,

Your father in his wisdom has decided to crown Thor as king. In three months' time your father will host a coronation. You will need to return and attend your brother. We have missed you and feel your training has been long enough. It will be good to see you again.

All my love, Frigga. -

"I knew this day would come." Loki finally said. He sat in his chair, a hand up to his lips as he sat thinking. Aliah looked over to him and saw the great lines across his forehead grow deep. She felt his heart break but could do nothing. All she could do was sit there and be quiet.

"Is there nothing we can do?" she finally said.

"It seems not." Loki answered.

"Three months," Aliah said to nothing in particular, "three months, and then…" she couldn't bear to finish the sentence.

Loki looked down to the floor, a sadness overtaking him. He couldn't bear to think of it as well, his time with Aliah had been the only joyful time he had ever had. 'I can't let this be the end.' He thought. 'I have to do something…'

"If I could only prove to father that I am the worthy son…" he finally said.

Aliah looked over to Loki and felt a small part of her heart break for him.

"That may never be my dear…" she said…"but…"

"But," Loki finally said, "at least I could ruin my brother's big day." He said with a grin.

"I think it's the least you could do." Aliah answered back, a small smile finally on her lips.

Loki narrowed his eyes and his jaw jutted out. "Yes," he answered between clenched teeth.

Aliah felt it now within him, a burning, deep inside and she recognized it from within herself, inside of his heart, a fire now kindled and burned just as it did within her own heart. A beast made of hurt and pain came to life and slowly smoldered within Loki's heart.

'Good,' Aliah thought quietly, 'let the fire burn within him, it will be the only thing to keep him from being thrown away, thrown to the wastes of Jotunheim and forgotten about by Odin. Let it make you strong my dearest.'

Aliah got out of her chair and knelt before Loki in his. She took his hand in her own and looked deep into his eyes. "I will help you my dear." Aliah said to him. Loki looked down at her and grinned a wide toothy grin.

"I swear to you, my enchantress, I will save the realms from my brothers idiotic rule for a while longer, and afterwards, I will find a way for us to be together. I will stop at nothing until I can make that happen." Loki said.

"I know." Aliah said simply as she crawled into his lap, they sat there and embraced each other for the longest time, not daring to let the other go.

Over the next three months, Aliah and Loki threw themselves into the task at hand. Having found the secret passage into the treasure room, it was an easy decision to know what they must do. The coronation ceremony would be the perfect day to have a group of Jotuns break into the vaults, it would be months before a new ceremony could be prepared.

Contacting the Jotuns now was the problem they had. It would be easy to find a passage to their world, what would not be so easy, was surviving the journey.

"The monsters will surely slay us the moment they set eyes on us." Loki said one morning.

Aliah looked over to him and felt her heart fall within her at his words.

'Dear gods Loki,' she thought, 'monsters….maybe they are…but you…'

She knew that if she had never known Loki and what he truly was, she too would think of the Jotuns as nothing but monsters as well, but now, all that was a lifetime ago. She tried to put it out of her mind, besides, he would never find out, hopefully. And even this thought was a lie she told herself, she knew he would, one day he would indeed find out but hopefully not anytime soon and certainly, not for a long time.

"It will be easy enough to hide our true forms, it's the only way, I say we conceal ourselves as marauders, and go to them. They will not be able to refuse our offer, if we let a few in, it will be easy enough to slay them and no harm done don't you think?" Aliah said.

"Yes, and I know just the bait to make them want to take any chance to try." Loki said.

Three months later, a morning dawned, bright and cloudless. The sun poured into the faces of Loki and Aliah as they lie in the great swing out in the marquee. Surrounded by the trees and listening to the frogs in the great pond before them, they had decided to spend their last night alone under the stars.

Now the hated day poured over them, ripping them away from each other's arms and forcing them apart. They lie there, refusing to leave the others embrace until they could hide no longer from their duty.

They slowly got up and dressed, walking back to the castle hand in hand.

Aliah watched Loki as he walked around the bedchamber one last time, waving his hands over the few possessions he had, disappearing them into the room that was hidden within her own walls. Finally he walked over to her and placed a hand upon her cheek.

"Don't worry." Loki said quietly. "It won't be for long." He said.

But within Aliah's heart, she knew better. Somehow she knew, it would be a long time before she would see his beautiful face ever again. Aliah buried her head in Loki's chest and they wrapped their arms around the other, standing there together they wished time would stop and save them from their fates, but it refused.

Finally they pulled away and Loki looked down into Aliah's eyes, smiling at her as he did.

He waved his hands and suddenly a green glass vase appeared, full of beautiful white gardenias.

"So beautiful," Aliah said as she took the vase in her hands. "Just as beautiful as the first one you gave me." She said.

"They will never die, so long as I live." Loki said to her quietly. He then bent down and sweetly kissed her lips.

Aliah placed the vase on the table before the balcony and turned to Loki, drinking in his form before her.

Aliah turned to Loki and smiled, waving her hand she held out a small box for Loki now. He smiled as he opened it and looked inside. A shining gold pauldron, arm guards and chest cover shone out to him from the box. Engraved on the pauldron, unknown to him still, Aliah had carved the likeness of his wolf son, who she named Fenris, and upon the chest piece, a snake.

Loki smiled as he examined the beautiful pieces of armor.

"In case you ever need them." Aliah said quietly. "I thought you deserved some beautiful armor, as beautiful as you are, just in case."

"You have been so good to me, my love." Loki said quietly, "I can't thank you enough."

Slowly they walked down the stairs toward the stables, hand in hand where the caravan to accompany Loki back home waited.

They came out finally and saw the black mare, dressed in green and black, ready to carry him back to his family. Three guards were outfitted to go along with him. For the longest time, Aliah thought about going with him, but Loki knew her thoughts.

"I would have you go," he said, "but we both know, if things get out of hand…well I can't take that chance with you. Just in case the Jotuns lie and bring more than they said." Loki breathed.

"I know…it would be wonderful, I'm sorry I'll miss it. The entire capital, in turmoil, I can see it now. What fun you'll have my dear." she answered.

"Yes my love," Loki said. "My brother's day ruined, and afterward…I'll be back before you know it. Perhaps things will even go better than I hope and I'll send a great carriage for you to come to me. How wonderful will that be?" Loki said with a smile.

Aliah allowed herself to smile for him, even though the thought of it still ripped at her heart.

She nodded and held him tightly, running her fingers through his short black hair, not daring to let the tears fall that she felt building up behind her eyes.

"Just call out to me," Aliah said as she pressed her forehead to his. "Just as we practiced, I will hear you, we can always be together, no matter what."

'I will always be here.' Aliah thought to him, and he smiled, hearing her thoughts and it comforted him.

'And I as well.' Loki thought back. They smiled to each other, comforted in the knowledge that even across the distance, they could still at least be together in some small way.

Loki kissed her one last time and winked at her, before mounting his great black horse and setting off.

Aliah watched him gallop out past the gate and down the road before he turned around and waved.

'Don't worry,' she heard in her mind, 'our little fun will work out just as planned and I will see you again soon, I'm sure of it.' She heard.

Inside of her, deep in her heart, she felt a sense of dread and knew things were being set in motion that neither of them had any control over. She watched as Loki and the guards receded into the distance before running up to the highest tower to watch them disappear over the horizon.

Aliah sat there, staring off into the distance, unable to tear herself away from the spot until long after the sun had set. Finally a servant came into the room and begged her to come away and eat something, for her health's sake if nothing else. Reluctantly, Aliah allowed herself to be walked down the hall and fed some dinner.

In her mind, the plan they had designed came back to her over and over again.

Only a few Jotuns would come through the hidden passage into the vault. The promise of the ice cask once owned by the Jotuns would be theirs if they wanted it, as long as they would ruin the day and prevent Thor from being crowned. Hopefully it would spur Thor into doing something drastic…and over and over she heard the words play out in her mind. 'Don't go to Jotunheim Loki, whatever you do, don't go to Jotunheim…'

Aliah seated herself in the chair and looked out of the balcony, her door open should any news come suddenly. She sat there, quietly, looking out towards the capital, casting her mind out towards Loki, watching the events as if she were a ghost hovering just above the heads of all those in the palace, unable to tear herself away from him.

The days past, what at first she thought would be only a short time, turned into a nightmare of pain and fear. Master Bram heard of her falling into a trance and slowly made his way up from the hidden library to stay by her side. Servants came and went, and no one knew what to make of it. Only Bram alone knew….something had gone wrong…terribly wrong and their plan, so simple that she had shared with him, to simply destroy the coronation day, turned into a living nightmare, for both Aliah and the prince, so far away from everyone now except each other.

EPILOGUE:

Loki hung from the end of the great spear of his father by one hand. All of it had failed, his brother was home, his father was awake again, and it all meant one thing, his throne, his rule, was over. He would not be allowed a throne again, not here, not while his brother and father were there. He could do nothing to change that.

"I could have done it father, for all of us. For you!" he cried.

"No Loki." Those two words were all it took to let Loki know, his father, no matter how much he craved it, would never love him. He knew now, he was not Aesir; rather somehow he was a Jotun. There was nothing left to do…slowly, he let his grasp on the spear go. Loki couldn't bear any of it any longer, the pain, the hurt, the betrayal, all of his father's lies and deceit. Better to die than never see her again, never to be allowed to hold her, see her, or be with her.

Back in her palace, Aliah jumped up from her chair, it had been a week since she had moved. Now suddenly, she jumped up and screamed…calling out to him, but she could do nothing, across the land, on the broken bridge leading to the destroyed bi-frost, Loki let go of the spear and fell, down into the abyss, swallowed up by the last hidden passage out of Asgard into only the gods knew where.

Aliah couldn't let it happen, she refused it and she fell to the stone floor of her chamber and reached out with all she had, pushing, and pulling Loki's falling body across the galaxy onto the nearest refuge to him. She could not let him fall for an eternity into nothingness and death, instead she pushed with all her might and found a small destroyed world, fragmented all about and with her last bit of strength, felt his body land on a shattered rock before she felt everything slip away into blackness.

When she finally regained consciousness, she found herself propped up in her bed, she looked over and saw the empty place beside her in the bed, she reached out and imagined that Loki had just gotten up to go to the bath, any minute he would return and curl around beside her, warming her with his presence.

She sent her mind out, across the vast expanse but she was too weak, far too exhausted still to reach him, he was so far away, so very far away.

Across the expanse, Loki cried out in agony. He screamed at the tortures inflicted upon him by them…he fought for any way to escape the torments they caused him until one day, he heard them talking...The tesseract, a gem of power that had been in his father's vault at one time, but it had been gone for so long….he reached out, desperately seeking for Aliah, somewhere between her searching and his they met, and he was able to convey the short message before the pain in his body robbed him of all thought. 'They want the tesseract, if I can get it for them, they will let me go…help me.' He cried out.

Aliah's eyes snapped open and she looked around. The message had been clear, if she could help find it, they would let him go. She rang the bell beside the bed and demanded food and tea now, anything to fuel her new search, if she could help him, perhaps a throne was within their grasp, a kingdom for them both, where they could finally be together….together….all that mattered….

"My lady Aliah," called the servant as she kneeled beside the bed.

"I am no longer that," Aliah called back. "I would have you call me by my first name again." Aliah finally said. "I had refused that name for so long, now I claim it back, Amora, and you….you shall call me simply enchantress."

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This is the end my dear readers. Thank you all so much for following along. Now we have the answers to so many questions ….why did it all have to happen? Because, Loki must…he simply must have a throne of his own, to be with her….and she?

Yes readers…she is the enchantress…

And what was he thinking as he hung from the end of that spear? Her of course….always her….

Thank you all for your kind reviews, your likes and your support. I take comfort in the fact that all alone in the jail cell, Loki wasn't really alone now was he? And that is a comfort to me somehow…bless you tom hiddleston…and I hope you never read this. xxoox

i have been thinking lately it may be time for a sequel ........ but only if there are requests for it....thank you all...


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